Sharif family's appeals against conviction admitted to regular hearing in IHC
The court has issued notice to National Accountability Court and summoned record of Avenfield case.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday issued the written order of initial hearing conducted over the appeals of Sharif family challenging their conviction by the accountability court.
The appeals of ousted premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Capt (retd.) Safdar have been accepted for regular hearing.
The court has issued notice to National Accountability Court (NAB) and summoned record of Avenfield case.
Volumes of the appeals have also been prepared while the next hearing will be held after vacations in the last week of July before the available bench.
Sharif’s counsel Khawaja Haris adopted stance that the accused have convicted against law.
Also Read: Sharif family’s appeals: IHC issues notice to NAB, summons record of Avenfield case
“The stance of NAB in the case will also be heard along with the arguments of defense lawyer,” remarked the court.
Haris requested the court to grant bail to Nawaz Sharif until verdict on his appeal is announced. He told that all the three accused are ready to submit their surety bonds.
The court asked NAB to appoint officers for its assistance in the Avenfield case.
Convicted and sentenced
It is to be mentioned here that former prime minister 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 $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
Safdar was arrested by the NAB authoritites 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’s Allama Iqbal International 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.
