ISLAMABAD: Following the two sons of ex prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s surrender, an accountability court in Islamabad revived three corruption references against them.
The court postponed the perpetual arrest warrants for Hassan and Hussain Nawaz on Thursday and granted them bail in exchange for $50,000 surety guarantees, reopening the charges against them.
After failing to participate in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB)-filed inquiry into the Avenfield Apartment, Al-Azizia, and Flagship Investment references, Mr. Sharif’s sons were deemed proclaimed offenders.
Since they were still abroad, the proceedings against them were confined to the record.
Judge granted Hassan and Hussain bail in exchange for Rs. 50,000 in surety bonds.
Through their lawyer, Qazi Misbahul Hassan, the brothers filed applications with the accountability court last week asking for the suspension of their arrest orders so they may participate in the proceedings.
They appeared before accountability judge Nasir Javed Rana on Thursday after the court granted their motion and prevented the police from detaining them.
Their attorney contended that since the fugitive suspects have turned themselves in, their arrest warrants, which are valid for life, can be revoked.
The judge revoked their warrants and noted their attendance.
Additionally, the attorney submitted motions for acquittal under Criminal Procedure Code § 265-K.
At any point during the trial, the court may exonerate the accused under the aforementioned provision.
Mr. Hassan said that his clients were named in the Avenfield Apartments reference, together with Maryam Nawaz Sharif and her husband, retired Capt Muhammad Safdar, and that they were also implicated in the Flagship Investment and Al-Azizia references, along with their father.
The attorney claims that although Mr. Sharif was found not guilty in the Flagship Investment case, he was found guilty in the Avenfield Apartments and Al-Azizia reference.
He contended that, due to a dearth of evidence, a division bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had already cleared Mr. Sharif, Ms. Maryam, and her husband in the two referrals.
Mr. Hassan contended that the prosecution will use the same evidence that the high court had rejected in the trial of his clients.
Regarding the Flagship Investment case, Mr. Sharif was found not guilty by the accountability court, and the National Bureau of Investigation (NAB) abandoned its appeal against the decision.
Later, the hearing was postponed by the court until Friday (today).
Speaking to the journalists in the courtroom, Mr. Hussain declared that he was a citizen of Pakistan and had never served in any official capacity.
He claimed that “what happened with the Sharif family” is well known to the people of Pakistan.
The time to update the NAB Ordinance and put an end to political victimization, according to Mr. Hussain, has come.
He did, however, add that it is up to the administration and the parliament to decide.
In answer to a query, he stated that Imran Khan, the founder of the PTI, also has the right to a fair trial. His sister in Punjab and uncle in the Central region “will not disappoint the people of Pakistan,” he hoped.
