IHC takes up pleas against Avenfield reference verdict tomorrow
The pleas asked to release all the three accused on bail till the final verdict
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Islamabad High Court will tomorrow (Tuesday) begin the hearing of appeals filed by former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (r) Muhammad Safdar against their conviction by the accountability court in Avenfield reference case.
A two member division bench of the high court comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiani and Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb will take up the appeals.
Earlier, the PML-N supremo, his daughter and son-in-law had submitted appeals in Islamabad High Court (IHC) against Avenfield reference verdict.
The petitioners requested the court to annul the decision pertaining to their imprisonment, fine, disqualification and forfeiture of property.
All the three accused should be released on bail till the final verdict and their conviction be suspended temporarily, it added.
The charge sheet of Nawaz Sharif has also been attached with the plea which adopts stance that contradiction exists between supplementary and interim references.
It went on to maintain that supplementary references were not sent to Hassan and Hussain Nawaz whereas the prosecutuin has failed to prove any accusation. Accountability judge and NAB has been made parties in the pleas.
Convicted and sentenced
Previously, Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Captain Safdar were convicted and sentenced to prison in absentia for ten years, seven years and one year respectively, in Avenfield verdict that is likely to further disrupt an already chaotic campaign for national elections this month.
Maryam Nawaz and Captain (r) Safdar, who were candidates for the forthcoming general elections were also disqualified from contesting elections for 10 years each.
The sentence and a fine of 8 million pounds, or US$10.6 million, came almost a year after Supreme Court removed Sharif from office and less than five months after the court barred him from holding office for life.
Nawaz Sharif was convicted under section 9(a)(5) of the NAB ordinance. The case stemmed from the Panama Papers leak that disclosed expensive and undeclared property owned by the Sharif family in London.
Arrested and shifted to Adiala Jail
On the other hand, Safdar was arrested by the NAB in Rawalpindi on July 9 while Nawaz Sharif and Maryam were taken into custody by the officials few minutes after their flight landed at Lahore Airport on Friday night and shifted to Adiala Jail.
Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir, who was present in the jail, issued warrants for imprisonment for Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz. A team of doctors conducted the medical checkup of both the accused and declared them fit.
Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz were then shifted to B-Class facility in Adiala Jail.
