Shehbaz thanks Allah for SC decision in Avenfield reference
Shehbaz Sharif said that he also hopes to get justice in Al-Azizia reference
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Former Punjab CM and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif on Monday thanked Allah Almighty for the Supreme Court’s verdict of rejecting the appeal filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) challenging the Islamabad High Court decision to grant bail to Sharif family in the Avenfield reference.
While reacting to the Supreme Court’s verdict, Shehbaz Sharif said that he also hopes to get justice in Al-Azizia reference.
The Leader of Opposition in National Assembly said that his party would consider supporting an extension in military courts , if approached by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government.
Earlier, the apex court had dismissed the NAB s appeal against the suspension of the jail sentences of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family in the Avenfield corruption case.
In July 2018, an accountability court in Islamabad handed Sharif 10 years as jail time for owning assets beyond known income and 1 year for not cooperating with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
A five-member bench led by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar upheld the Islamabad High Court s verdict that ordered suspension of prison sentences awarded to Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retd) Mohammad Safdar in the Avenfield corruption case related to their purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices.
The top court, in its ruling, said that the NAB has failed to provide the "ground for cancellation of bail" and that the IHC had not exceeded its authority in granting bail to the convicts of the Avenfield case.
The 69-year-old three-time former prime minister and his family have denied any wrongdoing.
Sharif is currently in jail after an anti-corruption court sentenced him on December 24 to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills graft case while acquitting him in the Flagship Investments corruption case in the high-profile Panama Papers scandal.
The NAB approached the top court after the Islamabad High Court, on September 19, suspended prison sentences of the Sharifs awarded by an accountability court.
