ISLAMABAD: Former premier Nawaz Sharif, who is serving sentence awarded to him in the Avenfield case in Adiala jail, was presented before an accountability court in Islamabad as it resumed hearing of Al-Azizia/Hill Metal Establishment reference on Monday.
Accountability Judge Arshad Malik is presiding over the trial proceedings. The former premier’s lawyer, Khawaja Haris, resumed cross-examination of star witness, Wajid Zia who had headed a joint investigation team that probed the Sharif family’s wealth on the directives of the top court.
It is pertinent mention here that a bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) will take up today appeals filed by Sharif and members of his family challenging their conviction in the Avenfield properties case.
Earlier, Nawaz Sharif through his counsel had moved a plea seeking early hearing of the appeals against the accountability court’s July 6 verdict.
The lawyer contended that a high court bench passed an order on Aug 20, fixing the appeal seeking suspension of the sentence of the imprisoned members of the Sharif family after summer vacations.
He said the Supreme Court has granted accountability court judge Arshad Malik six weeks’ time to wind up the two pending references against the former premier. He, therefore, will not be able to present his arguments on the main appeal challenging the Avenfield verdict, he added.
Mr Haris requested that the high court may take up the petition seeking suspension of his clients’ sentence until final decision on their appeal at the earliest.
On July 6, an accountability court had sentenced Nawaz to a total of eleven years in prison and imposed a £8 million fine in the corruption reference. His daughter Maryam was sentenced to eight years with a £2 million fine while Safdar was given a one-year sentence.
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