Islamabad(July 17, 2018): Senator of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Pervaiz Rasheed has raised question over the absence of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from today’s hearing in AC.
Talking to the media alongside Barrister Zafarullah, Rasheed recalled how Nawaz was summoned, even twice a day, to appear in court during the course of the trial since last year.
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Pervaiz Rasheed wondered why Nawaz is being deprived of his legal right to be in court during the hearing against him.
Rasheed called on the court to answer these questions that he claimed are perturbing the people of Pakistan.
In response to a question, the senator said the PML-N government did not undertake such a trial against any politician in its five-year tenure nor has such a trial taken place in the country’s history.
Rasheed also highlighted how those who protested against the government roamed scot-free for years despite warrants being out for them by the relevant courts.
Earlier today, Judge of NAB Court-I postponed the Al-Azizia corruption reference against Nawaz Sharif till the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) ruling on an appeal filed by the Sharif family.
The lawyer of Nawaz Sharif, Khawaja Haris was due to cross-question prosecution witness Wajid Zia, however, the defence counsel failed to appear in court in today’s hearing.
Prosecutor of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Afzal Qureshi apprised the court that the Sharif family’s appeal has been fixed for hearing in the high court later today.
Later, Judge Bashir decided to postpone the hearing till the IHC’s ruling on the appeal.
On the other hand, a two-judge bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) will hear appeals of former premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Capt (retd) Safdar against their conviction in the Avenfield properties reference today.
The bench comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Mian Gul Hassan will take up the appeals.
The former premier, his daughter and son-in-law filed the appeals through their legal team pleading with the high court to set aside the accountability court’s verdict against them.
They requested the court to suspend their sentences and order their release from prison on bail until their appeals are decided. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the accountability judge have been named as respondents in the appeals.
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The appellants contended that the prosecution failed to prove allegations levelled against them in the reference. Besides, the trial court announced the verdict in their absence while dismissing their plea to defer it for a week, they argued.
On July 6, the three-time prime minister was sentenced to 10 years in prison by an accountability court in the Avenfield case while his daughter and son-in-law to seven years and one year’s jail term, respectively.
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