IHC to shortly resume hearing Nawaz's plea to transfer remaining corruption cases
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ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) will once again take up the pleas filed by members of the Sharif family against their convictions in the Avenfield reference as well as former premier Nawaz's petition to transfer the Al-Azizia and Flagship references to another court.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb will hear the appeals today (Thursday).
During the last hearing, Nawaz’s counsel Khawaja Haris had pleaded to shift the trial of the remaining corruption references to another court.
Haris had argued that Accountability Court-I Judge Muhammad Bashir has already disclosed his mind by punishing his client in the Avenfield reference.
On the court’s query, Nawaz’s counsel had also stated that the investigation officers in all three references are different whereas the witnesses and their defence is common.
After hearing Nawaz's petition to transfer the two remaining references to another court, the two-member bench will take up the Sharif family's pleas against their convictions in the Avenfield reference.
On July 6, an accountability court had sentenced Nawaz to a total of 11 years in prison and slapped a £8 million fine (Rs1.3 billion) in the corruption reference, while his daughter Maryam was sentenced to eight years with a £2 million fine (Rs335 million). Nawaz's son-in-law Capt (retd) Safdar was also given a one-year sentence without any fine.
The Sharifs had challenged their convictions in the IHC, highlighting the legal flaws in the Avenfield judgement and asking for the accountability court's verdict to be declared null and void and the three convicts to be released on bail.
An additional appeal was also filed requesting the court to transfer the Al-Azizia and Flagship Investment references against Nawaz from the court of Accountability Judge-I Mohammad Bashir to another accountability court.
APP
