Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz called by SC
Shares
ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court on Wednesday summoned former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz on November 6 in an appeal filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against suspension of their sentence by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in the Avenfield property reference.
However, a three-member special bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar deferred the matter regarding suspension of Captain (R) Muhammad Safdar’s sentence. The IHC had suspended the sentence of Sharif family members given by an accountability court on July 6 in the Avenfield property reference.
During the course of proceedings, the CJP questioned NAB prosecutor Akram Quraishi whether he had ever seen the suspension order of any court of not more than two pages while the IHC had used some 43 pages to write the decison.
Quraishi stated that the high court in its verdict had discussed merits of the case, along with admissibility of evidence, which was unlawful. Moreover, the high courts granted bail on such matters only in case of hardship, while the present case did not fall in that purview, he added.
Subsequently, the bench while issuing the notice to the respondents adjourned the case till November 6.
Meanwhile, representatives of media houses extended unconditional apology for airing a fake news regarding recusal of Justice Umer Atta Bandial to be part of the special bench. The CJP while giving them a warning accepted their apology and disposed of the matter.
Nawaz, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Capt (retd) Safdar were released from jail in September after the IHC suspended their sentences.
