Avenfield reference: Nawaz, Maryam's plea seeking seven-day exemption rejected

Dunya News

The court has rejected their plea and only allowed one-day exemption.

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Accountability court is continuing hearing of Avenfield reference against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members today (Friday).

During the proceedings headed by Justice Mohammad Bashir, defence lawyer Amjad Pervez submitted a plea seeking exemption of ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz from court appearance for seven days as they are in London to visit ailing Begum Kulsoom.

The court rejected their plea and allowed to make National Accountability Bureau (NAB) director general as witness.

Earlier on Wednesday, Nawaz Sharif and his daughter left for London to inquire about the health of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz who is undergoing cancer treatment at a hospital in Britain’s capital.

All the rallies of PML-N have also been postponed. Nawaz and Maryam were to address gatherings in Lala Musa on April 20, Sahiwal on April 21and Mansehra on April 22. The new dates for the rallies will be announced later. 

Maryam Nawaz had tweeted that they will be returning  back before next proceedings if their request not granted.

SC disqualified Sharif from office in July over unreported sources of annual income of about $10,000, a salary the former premier denies ever receiving. The high court also ordered the NAB to investigate and conduct a trial into the Sharif family’s wider finances, including the London properties.

Sharif was also ousted from the presidency of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, which elected close ally Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as prime minister after Sharif was disqualified.