ISLAMABAD – Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s plea to club thereferences filed by the National Accountability Bureau was turned down bythe Islamabad High Court.

Announcing the verdict reserved a day earlier, the august court remarkedthat the counsel had started concluding arguments in the cases, making theplea infructuous.

Justice Mohsin Akhter Kiyani and Justice Aamir Farooq announced theverdict, paving the way for timely completion of the cases, a finaldeadline for which is set for July 9.

The supreme leader of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz had requested to haltthe arguments in the references being heard by the accountability courtJudge Muhammad Bashir.

He had requested that the arguments in all the three references –pertaining to Avenfiled flats, Hill Metal establishment and offshore firms– should be made simultaneously.Last Hearing

During Thursday’s proceedings, Azam Nazir Tarrar and Amjad Pervez appearedon behalf of Sharif family and contended that this was the first case inhistory where the petitioner has not used delaying tactics.

He said recording separate testimony of witnesses common to the three casesis depriving his client of his fundamental rights.

During the proceedings, NAB prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar argued that defencelawyer Khawaja Haris had already started presenting arguments in onereference, therefore, the petition in the high court had become invalid.

‘All of the three references were independent and the complete argumentsfor one reference had already been presented before the accountabilitycourt,’ he argued.

Earlier on June 5, the accountability court had rejected Nawaz’s petitionfor final arguments in all the three references against the Sharif familyto be heard together.

Accountability Judge Muhammad Bashir had remarked that the petitioner maychallenge the verdict in the high court, adding that till that time thecross-examination of NAB’s star witness Wajid Zia would continue.

Nawaz Sharif and his sons Hussain and Hasan are accused in all threereferences whereas his daughter Maryam and son-in-law MNA Capt (retd)Safdar are named in the Avenfield reference only.

Hussian and Hassan Nawaz are UK-based and have been absconding since theproceedings began last year, however, the former premier has been showingup regularly before the court of judge Muhammad Bashir.