ISLAMABAD – Day before their planned return to Pakistan, an accountability court on Thursday suspended the arrest warrants for British nationals Hasan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz, sons of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, in the Al-Azizia, Flagship and Avenfield corruption cases.
The verdict was reserved earlier on Thursday by accountability court judge Nasir Javed Rana and then announced a couple of hours later. The warrants have been suspended till March 14, as per the verdict.
The warrants of the brothers were issued seven years ago when the court had declared them absconders.
In Thursday’s hearing, both brothers were represented in the case by their lawyer Qazi Misbah, while National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutors Sardar Muzaffar, Usman Masood and Sohail Arif also appeared in the court.
The plea seeking suspension of the warrants were filed as both brothers are planning to return to Pakistan on March 12.
Their lawyer, Misbah, revealed the development during the hearing of the Toshakhana reference filed against Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani wherein the politicians are accused of having kept various vehicles in violation of the Toshakhana rules.
Misbah, while presenting his arguments, said that both brothers were declared absconders in the case, while perpetual warrants were also issued against them.
He told the court that all the other accused were acquitted in these three references. The lawyer added that both Hasan and Hussain want to return to Pakistan this month and request the court to suspend their perpetual warrants.
“There were five accused in the Avenfield [reference], three were convicted by the accountability court. Islamabad High Court acquitted three accused,” he maintained.
Arif, an NAB prosecutor, said that the accused should appear in court, as per the law. “[They] will have to appear, [as] without it the warrant of arrest cannot be suspended.”
He added that the purpose of the warrant is to bring the accused to court, insisting that both brothers should be given a chance to appear before the accountability court.
Following the completion of arguments by both sides, the accountability court reserved its decision on the petitions.
