*LAHORE: A petition seeking annulment of the accountability court’s verdictconvicting former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawazand Captain (retd) Safdar in the Avenfield reference was filed in theLahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday.*

A non-profit organization, Lawyers Foundation, moved the petition,contending that the accountability court handed out sentences to three-timepremier and members of his family on the basis of a law that has beenrendered ineffective.

It stated that former military ruler Pervez Musharraf promulgated the NABlaw in 1999, which was not endorsed by Parliament. As a result, the law hasbecome ineffective after the 18thamendment, it argued.

The petitioner, therefore, pleaded that the high court may overturn theaccountability court’s verdict in the Avenfield reference.

On July 6, the accountability court sentenced former premier Nawaz Sharifto a total of 10 years in prison and directed him to pay a fine of £8million after finding him guilty on different charges in the Avenfieldproperties case.

Judge Muhammad Bashir found Mr. Sharif guilty of accumulating assets beyondhis known sources of income.

He handed out seven-year imprisonment to the former premier’s daughterMaryam Nawaz and a fine of £2 million. She has been awarded an additionalone year’s imprisonment on charges of using Calibri font to fabricateAvenfield properties trust deeds.