Al-Azizia case: IHC says will hear Nawaz’s appeal on merit
- Nawaz appears before the IHC
- Hearing adjourned till Tuesday (Dec 12)
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) announced on Thursday that it will hear Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PM-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif’s petition against his conviction in the Al-Azizia reference on merit.
Earlier today, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb resumed the court proceedings. Nawaz appeared before the IHC along with senior PML-N leaders Ishaq Dar, Azam Nazeer Tarar and others.
The bench rejected the National Accountability Bureau (NAB)’s request to send case back to the accountability court and adjourned the hearing till Tuesday December 12.
On November 29, the bench had acquitted Nawaz in the Avenfield reference.
The court dismissed the NAB’s appeal in the Flagship reference as the anti-graft body withdrew it.
An accountability court on December 24, 2018, had acquitted Nawaz in the Flagship reference.
IHC acquits Nawaz in Avenfield reference
Talking to reporters after being acquitted, Nawaz had said: “I had left it up to Allah. In Al-Azizia reference too, I’ve left my matters up to Allah.”
Background
In 2018, Nawaz was sentenced to 10 and seven years in prison in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia references, respectively.
The three-time former prime minister was declared a proclaimed offender by the IHC over non-compliance after he went to London for medical treatment with the court’s permission in November 2019.
In October this year, Nawaz returned to Pakistan after obtaining protective bail in both graft cases and surrendered before the court, after which his appeals were restored.
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