ISLAMABAD: A two-member bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), comprisingJustice Athar Minallah and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, has directedNational Accountability Bureaue (NAB) Deputy Prosecutor General SardarMuzaffar Abbasi to conclude his arguments in the case by Monday.
NAB on Thursday sought two more days from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) topresent its arguments against the pleas filed by former prime ministerNawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retd)Safdar seeking suspension of the verdict in the Avenfield propertiesreference.
However, as the hearing went under way, the NAB deputy prosecutor said, “Ihave been directed to ask for an adjournment of two days.”
When Justice Minallah questioned Abbasi from whom he will get directions,the deputy prosecutor general responded, that he will get directions fromprosecutor general.
To this, Nawaz’s counsel, Khawaja Harris, protested and said, “The pleaswere filed a month ago.”
Further, Justice Minallah remarked, “There needs to be a solid reason foradjournment. This is not right.”
Maryam and Capt (retd) Safdar’s counsel, Amjad Pervez, said, “Privateparties seek more time but for an institution to do this is beyond myunderstanding.”
The two-member bench then told the NAB deputy prosecutor general to submithis initial reservations.
“Consult each other and adopt one stance, we are considering penalizing youfor wasting the court’s time,” he added.
Abbasi then assured the bench that he will conclude his arguments on Monday.
As Justice Minallah decided to give NAB a last chance to present itsarguments on Monday, Advocate Pervez raised the point that the NABprosecutor general be summoned so he can present their stance.
However, Abbasi said he is busy with another case in Lahore and will not beable to appear before the bench. To this, Justice Aurangzeb remarked, “In18 years of legal practice, I have never before come across such a reasonto seek adjournment.”
Abbasi had sought time to provide paragraph-wise comments in line with therequest of Nawaz’s counsel.
However, Justice Minallah had remarked, “We cannot adjourn the hearing onthese grounds.”
Nawaz, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar, wereconvicted by accountability judge Mohammad Bashir in Avenfield reference onJuly 6.
The Sharifs had challenged their convictions in the IHC, highlighting thelegal flaws in the Avenfield case judgment and asking for theaccountability court’s verdict to be declared null and void, and the threeconvicts be released on bail. – APP