ISLAMABAD: The Accountability Court, on Friday, withdrew its verdict to confiscate the assets of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Supremo Nawaz Sharif in the Toshakhana case and ordered the concerned authorities to unfreeze Sharif’s properties.
The Accountability Court Judge, Muhammad Bashir, in its order on the application of Sharif, requested the court to unfreeze his properties attached by the provincial governments, following the directives of the court after he was declared a proclaimed offender in the Toshakhana case.
The court had issued the order for confiscation of the assets in October 2020. The assets are properties including 1,650 kanals of land in Lahore, vehicles including Mercedes and Land Cruiser, and bank accounts.
According to the written orders of the court, the application submitted for withdrawal of attachment of assets was filed on November 08 which is accepted and the application is requisitioned. Arguments of both sides on the application submitted for withdrawal of attachment of assets made as a consequence of the declaration of proclaimed offender of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif are heard and record perused.
It says that it is submitted that the petitioner had appeared before the court and his warrant of arrest has been canceled within the meaning of section 75(2) CrPC.
Qazi Misbah, the counsel for the petitioner further submits that accused/petitioner had gone abroad for his medical treatment with the permission of the court. Now, it is prayed that the order dated October 1, 2020, directing Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa governments to attach his bank accounts, shares in Stock Exchanges, vehicles, and movable and immovable properties order may kindly be withdrawn and the two provincial governments be directed to de-attach and restore possession (sic) of the same to petitioner in the interest of justice and fair play.
The defence counsel submits that the word possession is written due to a clerical mistake. It may be read as position. No, asset has been sold out by any competent authority.
The accused had appeared before the court. His warrant of arrest has been cancelled. Therefore, asset of the accused/petitioner may be restored as prayed for.
It says that the acc-used/petitioner had gone abroad prior to the initiation of proceedings of attachment of his assets. No asset is sold out. Money lying in the bank account of the accused/petitioner is not transferred to the government treasury. The value of the offence against the accused/petitioner is of amount Rs3,619,031, while property which has been attached is many times more than that amount.
The accused/petitioner has appeared before the court, and the warrant of arrest issued against him has been cancelled, the application at hand is hereby accepted and the order dated October 1, 2020 and the order dated April 22, 2021, stands withdrawn. The previous position/status of the assets is hereby restored.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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