Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Tuesday filed an appeal in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), challenging accountability court's verdict in the Al-Azizia reference for which he is currently facing a seven-year imprisonment. In his petition, Sharif sought suspension of seven-year imprisonment sentence and Rs 1.5 billion fine handed down to him by an accountability court on December 24 in a corruption reference filed by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in light of Supreme Court's 2016 Panama verdict.
Nawaz's sons - Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz - were declared proclaimed absconders by the accountability court. The former prime minister was acquitted in the Flagship reference, which the NAB is also going to challenge in the apex court. In his petition, Sharif maintained that the decision was based on assumptions and false interpretation of law. It stated that the evidence was misperceived and the accountability court announced the verdict without hearing objections pointed out by him.
The appeal sought suspension of the sentence and Sharif's release on bail. The petition will be heard by a two-member bench of the high court.
The Al-Azizia verdict said that the accused no. 1 (Nawaz Sharif) was held guilty for the offence of corruption and corrupt practices and accordingly, is convicted under section 10 of the NAO 1999 'read with schedule thereto'. "And consequent upon his conviction, having regard to the facts and the circumstances of the case, the convict is hereby sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for a term of seven years along with a fine of Rs 1.2 billion and $25 million," said the order.
According to the judgement, Sharif is disqualified to hold any public office for a period of ten years. Likewise, he will not be allowed to apply for or be granted or allowed any financial facilities in the form of loan or advances or other financial accommodation by any bank or financial institution owned or controlled by the government for a period of 10 years from the date. The petition filed by NAB challenging the IHC decision in the Avenfield reference is currently being heard by an apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar.