LAHORE (Dunya News) – Commenting on the Islamabad High Court's decision to allow former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's appeals against his conviction in the Al-Azizia and Avenfield references, renowned legal experts opined Thursday that while the restoration of these appeals was a natural process, the crucial factor was the decisions the court would make based on merit.
Talking to Dunya News, Justice (r) Shaiq Usmani pointed out that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was not a court; rather, its role was to conduct investigations.
He mentioned that the NAB had informed the court that there was no immediate need for arrest, as the case would proceed when the appeals were heard.
Legal expert Hafiz Ehsan Ahmed stated that the restoration of appeals was a routine matter, and Nawaz Sharif's surrendering in court indicated that the case would revert to its starting point.
He noted that the NAB did not object to Nawaz Sharif's protective bail, and when the prosecution didn't raise objections, the court's options were limited.
Ahmed further added that the prosecution was defending the case, and suggested that if the prosecution believed the references had no merit, these could potentially be withdrawn.
Legal expert Raja Amir Abbas emphasised the importance of waiting for the court's decision on merit and criticised the way Nawaz Sharif returned to Pakistan.
He questioned the inconsistencies in NAB's references, as they initially alleged that Nawaz Sharif did not disclose the source of income used to purchase the flats, while now the NAB was disavowing responsibility for these cases.
Ebad Lodhi noted that the appeals had been restored and needed to be decided on their merits. He acknowledged that the restoration of appeals was a routine procedure, and it was too early to predict NAB's stance during the upcoming hearings.