The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday returned for a second time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s plea for the suspension of his sentence in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference.
On December 24, 2018, Accountability Court II Judge Arshad Malik had sentenced Nawaz to seven years in prison in the Al-Azizia corruption reference and acquitted him in the Flagship reference. Nawaz had filed a plea in the IHC on January 1 against the sentence handed to him in the Al-Azizia corruption reference. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader had requested the court to suspend the sentence and to release him on bail. However, the IHC registrar had stated that the petition was incomplete and had returned it. On Thursday, Nawaz filed the plea again after addressing the reservations.
Approves NAB appeal for hearing against Nawaz’s acquittal”
The IHC registrar, however, again raised reservations and returned the plea. The IHC registrar’s office raised reservations as the documents submitted along with the plea were unreadable.
Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday approved for hearing an appeal filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against acquittal of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in corruption references. The NAB had filed the appeal against Nawaz’s acquittal in Flagship Investment corruption reference and pleaded for extending his punishment in Al-Azizia reference, however the registrar office had raised objections on both the pleas. On Friday, the NAB officials arrived at the IHC and resolved the objections of the registrar office, following which NAB appeals have been scheduled for hearing next week. Earlier on Monday, the accountability court has issued a detailed verdict in the Flagship Investment corruption reference, according to which former premier Nawaz Sharif was acquitted on the basis of ‘benefit of doubt’.
According to the court verdict, there were not enough evidences in the case to convict the supreme leader of the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz. Sources said that the verdict noted that the documents presented by the NAB were also incomplete.
Published in Daily Times, January 5th 2019
