Al-Azizia case: Nawaz Sharif challenges his conviction in IHC

Incarcerated Nawaz Sharif challenged on Tuesday his conviction by the accountability court in Al-Azizia case in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

In his petition, the ex-premier has requested the IHC to suspend the the seven-year imprisonment sentence and fine of Rs 1.5 billion and $25 million slapped on him by the accountability court. In his petition Sharif argued that the judgment by the court was based on incorrect interpretation of the law and also based on assumptions.

Sharif also appealed to the bench to release him on bail, local media reported. Sharif is currently serving his sentence at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail.

On December 24, the court had convicted Sharif in the Al-Azizia reference and acquitted him in the Flagship reference filed by NAB. The court convicted Sharif under section 9 (a) (v) and section 10 of National Accountability Ordinances (NAO) 1999.

In his detailed verdict of sixty nine pages in the Flagship reference case, Judge Arshad Malik said that there was not sufficient evidence against Sharif to convict him. The verdict also read that the bureau provided documents which were incomplete.