Court expresses displeasure over Nawaz's absence in Flagship reference
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ISLAMABAD: Accountability Court-II (AC) of Islamabad Monday granted a one-day exemption from hearing to former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in a corruption reference pertaining to the Flagship Investment and adjourned the case till October 4.
The court, however, expressed displeasure over absence of accused Nawaz Sharif and his counsel Khawaja Haris, observing that the court could pass an appropriate order in that regard.
AC Judge Arshad Malik heard the reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). Neither the defence counsel nor the accused appeared before the court.
NAB prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi requested the court to issue non-bailable warrants against the accused. The defence side wanted to run the court affairs according to their own desires as they even did not bother to file a request for exemption from the hearing, he added.
The judge remarked that the other cases had been adjourned due to that case but the accused and his counsel did not bother to appear. The court had been waiting for them since morning, he added.
"This is not a practice in courts that the accused appear them on their own will. The court can issue an order in this regard," he added.
Junior defence counsel Munavor Dogal informed the court that Khawaja Haris could not appear before it for two days due to illness.
The court then directed the defence side to inform it about the attendance of Nawaz Sharif within five minutes otherwise his arrest warrants could be issued.
After inquiring about the matter, defence counsel Dogal informed the court that Nawaz could not appear before it due to confusion about two dates for hearing.
On this, the judge remarked whether the other lawyers were also confused on the same matter.
Later, the junior defence counsel filed a petition seeking a one-day exemption from hearing for his client that was accepted by the court.
APP
