ISLAMABAD – The accountability court in Islamabad has granted a three-day exemption to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from an appearance in Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference.
During the hearing of the case on Monday, defence lawyer Khawaja Haris requested the exemption of his client for a period of five days, citing the demise of Kulsoom Nawaz and the suspension of conviction in the Avenfiled reference by the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
There will be no interruption in the trial as Ibrahim Haroon will appear before the court as Nawaz’s representative, Haris pleaded before Justice Mohammad Arshad Malik.
To this, the prosecutor of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) argued that the exemption can be granted under extraordinary circumstances.
However, the judge granted a three-day exemption to the former prime minister who is currently in Lahore.
Meanwhile, the defence continued the cross-examination of Panama Joint Investigation Team (JIT) head Wajid Zia.
The references have been filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in line with the directives issued by the supreme court in the Panama papers case verdict.
