SC to hear NAB's appeal on suspension of Sharifs' sentences today

Dunya News

The three-member SC bench headed by CJP Justice Saqib Nisar will hear the NAB appeal today.

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – A three-member bench of the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan will start hearing of the petition filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) today (Wednesday), challenging suspension of prison terms of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz And son-in-law Capt (retd) Safdar in Avenfield properties reference.

The three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Saqib Nisar will hear the NAB appeal during today’s proceedings. Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Justice Justice Mazhar Alam are other members of the bench.

The apex court in a statement said it had replaced Justice Umar Ata Bandial with Justice Mazhar Alam after the latter recused himself from hearing the petitions due to ill health.

In its plea challenging suspension of jail term of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz’s (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, his daughter and political heir Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Capt (retd) Safdar, the NAB asked for the September 19 decision by IHC to be declared null and void, contending that the “IHC had failed to appreciate that through its order, it had seriously prejudiced the case of the prosecution by holding that the trial court judgment suffered from obvious and glaring defects and infirmities and that the convictions and sentences handed down to the accused might not be sustained ultimately.”

It is pertinent to mention here that Islamabad High Court -- on September 19 -- had suspended jail term of Sharifs awarded to them by accountability court judge Mohammad Bashir on July 6 in Avenfield reference case.