NAB Reference: PM Nawaz's sons declared absconder, perpetual arrest warrants issued

ISLAMABAD - The accountability court on Monday declared former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's sons - Hussain and Hassan Nawaz, fugitive after they failed to appear in court despite summons in corruption references filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Judge Mohammad Bashir resumed hearing of the reference, which was attended by Captain (r) Safdar and Maryam Nawaz. The court had also summoned former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Hassan and Hussain Nawaz, but they did not appear as they are in London.

Showing annoyance over their non-appearance despite arrest warrants, the court issued perpetual arrest warrants Hassan and Hussain, and decided to conduct their trial separately.

Adjourning the case, the court said Nawaz Sharif, Captain (r) Safdar and Maryam Nawaz will be indicted on the next hearing scheduled for October 13, while summons have been issued.

The court has also accepted exemption plea of Nawaz Sharif only for first hearing, besides directing him to appear at the next hearing otherwise indictment will be made.

Earlier, the court granted bail to Maryam Nawaz and her husband Captain (retd) Safdar in a reference filed by the NAB regarding Avenfield apartments in London.

During the hearing, PML-N leader Tariq Fazal submitted surety bond worth Rs5 million to the court on Maryam's behalf to ensure her appearance. In response, the court granted her bail and provided copies of reference.

Later, the NAB authorities presented Captain Safdar along with a report regarding implementation of arrest warrants for him. Safdar also got bail from court after he submitted surety bonds worth Rs5 million.

Arrest of Captain Safdar

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) took Captain (retd) Mohammed Safdar in custody after he along with Maryam landed at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport late Sunday night. However, Maryam headed to her house from the airport and she was not arrested.

The accountability court had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Safdar and other members of the family, including Hussain and Hassan Nawaz after they failed to appear despite summons.

NAB Reference

The bureau’s Lahore branch prepared a reference regarding Avenfield apartments in London in which the former premier, his three children - Maryam, Hussain and Hassan Nawaz - and son-in-law Captain (r) Safdar have been made respondents.

The references was 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.