Hearing of remaining corruption references against Nawaz adjourned till August 15

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad on Monday adjourned the hearings of two remaining corruption references against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family till August 15.

Accountability court Judge Arshad Malik heard the Al-Azizia and Flagship Investment references and summoned the investigation officer of the cases at the next hearing.

The former premier appeared before the accountability court for the hearing. Nawaz was brought to court in an armoured vehicle and was taken back to Adiala jail after the hearing.

Earlier as Nawaz appeared before the court, gun shots were heard outside.

"A shot was fired by anti-riot force policeman," officials said. 

"We are looking into the matter to know why the gun was loaded," they added. 

Judge Malik had summoned Nawaz during the last hearing on August 9. 

During the last hearing, Judge Malik had questioned National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi regarding the progress in investigations into the two remaining corruption references.

The NAB prosecutor had told the accountability court judge, "After Wajid Zia, only one more witness's statements need to be recorded."

"There are three suspects in both the references. Investigation is ongoing against Nawaz while his sons, Hasan and Hussain, have already been declared absconders in the case," he further said.

The hearing was then adjourned till today.

On August 7, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) transferred the two references to Accountability Court II.

A two-member bench of the IHC, comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, ordered the transfer of the cases on Nawaz's plea.

Nawaz’s legal counsel had filed an appeal requesting the court to transfer the Al-Azizia and Flagship Investment references from the court of Accountability Judge-I Mohammad Bashir to another accountability court.

On July 6, accountability court Judge Mohammad Bashir had announced the verdict in the Avenfield properties corruption reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), handing the ousted prime minister 10 years as jail time and seven years to his daughter Maryam Nawaz.

The trial

The trial against the Sharif family commenced on September 14, 2017.

On July 6, after four extensions in the original six-month deadline to conclude all three cases, the court announced its verdict in the Avenfield reference.

Nawaz and his sons, Hussain and Hasan, are accused in all three references whereas Maryam and Safdar were accused in the Avenfield reference only.

The two brothers, based abroad, have been absconding since the proceedings began last year and were declared proclaimed offenders by the court.

On July 10, the Supreme Court granted another six-week extension for Accountability Court-I Judge Mohammad Bashir to conclude the remaining corruption references against Nawaz and former finance minister Ishaq Dar.