NAB court defers hearing on Nawaz's plea against declaring him absconder in Toshakhana case
Last updated on: 25 August,2020 04:03 pm
The hearing was postponed due to unavailability of accountability judge Syed Asghar Ali
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Accountability court on Tuesday has deferred hearing on a petition filed by former Prime Minister (PM) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif against declaring him absconder in Toshakhana case. According to details, the hearing was postponed due to unavailability of accountability judge Syed Asghar Ali, who is on summer vacations.
Court sources told that the proceedings on this matter will be held on September 9 along with the main case. Earlier, Islamabad High Court (IHC) had disposed of Nawaz Sharif’s plea against declaring him absconder in Toshakhana case.
During the hearing headed by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, the court dismissed the petition over Nawaz Sharif’s request of withdrawing it.
IHC Chief Justice Athar Manallah had raised question over Nawaz Sharif’s bail and asked about the status of cases against him. The PML-N spremo’s counsel told that his client’s bail was still applicable.
Nawaz Sharif had challenged his summoning by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the Toshakhana reference in IHC, stating that he is not a fugitive and went to abroad for medical treatment after obtaining bail from the court.
The former prime minister had requested to nullify the accountability court’s decision to advertise his summons in the case and continue his trial through a representative. He further maintained that the NAB was targeting the opposition to silent its voice.
The accountability court had also issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Nawaz Sharif and former presidnet Asif Ali Zardari over continuous absence in Toshakhana case.
It is to be mentioned here that NAB had alleged Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif of getting cars from former PM Yousaf Raza Gillani through illegal way.
Zardari had only paid 15 percent cost of the cars by using his fake accounts, however, Libya and United Arab Emirates (UAE) also gifted him cars when he was serving as president, NAB prosecutor told.
NAB official claimed that Asif Ali Zardari used these cars for his personal work instead of submitting them to Toshakhana.
Nawaz Sharif got car without any application in 2008 when he was not holding any public office, the anti-corruption watchdog’s representative stated.