IHC dismisses Nawaz Sharif's plea seeking together final arguments in all references

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) Friday dismissed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's petition seeking together final arguments in graft references, after declaring it as ineffective.

A divisional bench of IHC comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhter Kiyani announced the judgment that was reserved last day after hearing arguments from both sides at large.

The court order said that the petition has become ineffective after the defence counsel Khawaja Haris has resumed final arguments in Avenfield property reference before accountability court.

During last proceeding, the NAB prosecutor Sardar Muzafar Abbasi had adopted the stance before IHC bench that the defence counsel has already resumed his arguments.

The accountability court was completing proceeding in Avenfield property reference first as the defence side had not presented any evidence in their favor, he said.

However, Nawaz Sharif's counsel Amjad Pervaiz argued that earlier the accountability court had decided to announce its judgment together in three references but now it wanted to completed the proceeding in Avenfield property reference first.

The IHC reserved the judgment after hearing arguments from both sides and today dismissed Nawaz Sharif's petition while announcing the verdict.