IHC shoots down Capt (r) Safdar's petition challenging indictment

ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court rejected a petition filed by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s son-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar challenging his indictment in corruption references filed by National Accountability Bureau.

Capt (retd) Safdar, through his counsel, filed a petition on Thursday requesting that the accountability court be stopped from indicting him on October 13 (tomorrow).

In his petition, he stated that according to law a period of seven days is allowed to the accused before indictment.

Nawaz, his daughter Maryam, and son-in-law MNA Capt (retd) Safdar are expected to be indicted by the accountability court hearing corruption cases against them on Friday.

During the last hearing, on October 9, the accountability court approved the bail of Maryam and Safdar after they showed up in court and submitted surety bonds worth Rs5 million each.

Judge Mohammad Bashir also approved the National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) plea to declare Nawaz's sons, Hasan and Hussain, absconders and separated their proceedings in the three references filed against them.

The accountability court is hearing a total of three corruption cases against the Sharif family filed by NAB as instructed by the apex court in its July 28th judgment in Panama Papers.

Earlier today, IHC dismissed Finance Minister Ishaq Dar's petitions challenging his indictment and trial by the accountability court hearing a corruption reference against him regarding assets beyond means.

During today's hearing, the court observed that the petitioner should take up any objections with the monitoring judge of the Supreme Court.

It bears mentioning that the former Premier Nawaz Sharif is currently in London and reportedly, he would be heading back to the country for a hearing scheduled tomorrow.

On the other hand, Maryam Nawaz had clarified that her brothers Hassan and Hussain were non-resident Pakistani's and so Pakistani laws were not applicable to them.