ISLAMABAD – The accountability court on Friday adjourned the hearing of three corruption references filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against Sharif family as it did not receive orders from the high court to club together all cases.
Deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who returned to Islamabad from London on Thursday and received the court summons, has reached the court to attend the first hearing since his indictment on Oct 19 and 20. The court had issued bailable arrest warrants for the ex-premier for not attending the hearings.
The court has also summoned the former premier’s daughter, Maryam Nawaz, son-in-law, Captain (retd) Safdar in a reference regarding Avenfield apartments in London. Both have also reached the court along with Nawaz Sharif.
As the court hearing began, Sharif submitted surety bonds against bail in two references regarding Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investment.
Sharif’s counsel Khawaja Haris following IHC decision filed a fresh application to club the three NAB references against his client.
In reply, Judge Mohammad Bashir said that he would review the orders of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) before giving a detailed verdict in this regard.
However, the court did not receive a copy of the orders; therefore, it has to adjourn the case until Nov 7.
The court directed that members of Sharif family did not need to attend the next hearing as it will take up the case regarding clubbing the three refrences.
Ahead of the high-profile hearing, strict security measures have been taken around the federal judicial complex. The officials will only allow entry to those who have security passes.
A number of PML-N supporters and leaders, including Saad Rafique, Talal Chaudhry, Maryam Aurangzaib and others, received their leader amid slogans and clapping.
Judge Mohammad Bashir had indicted former premier in three references regarding London flats, Azizia Steel Mills and other companies.
His daughter and son-in-law have also been indicted in a reference regarding the properties in London, while his sons – Hasan and Hussain Nawaz – have been declared proclaimed offender on shunning the court proceedings.
Club All References
On Thursday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) approved a file by Nawaz Sharif to club together all references against him, ordering the accountability court to take up the case again.
Earlier, the accountability court has dismissed the same kind of petition on October 19.
Setting aside the decision, the IHC asked Sharif to submit a fresh plea to the accountability court, which was ordered to consider the case again and give a detailed verdict.
NAB References
NAB has filed three references against Nawaz Sharif and his children.
NAB’s Rawalpindi branch prepared references regarding the Azizia Steel Mills and nearly a dozen companies and made Nawaz Sharif and his sons respondents.
The bureau’s Lahore branch prepared a reference regarding Avenfield apartments in London in which the former premier, his three children and son-in-law have been made respondents.
The references were filed in the backdrop of Supreme Court’s July 28 decision in the Panama Papers case in which Nawaz Sharif was also disqualified for concealing his employment with Capital FZE, a firm owned by his younger son Hassan.
