ISLAMABAD – A summery for the extension of accountability court (AC) judgeMuhammad Bashir was sent to the Ministry of Law for approval.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Anwar Kasi had alreadyapproved the extension of accountability court Judge Muhammad Bashir’stenure and contacted the law ministry in this regard.

Muhammad Bashir was hearing the National Accountability Court (NAB)corruption references against the Sharif family and former finance ministerIshaq Dar and his tenure was to end on March 12.

As the NAB cases against the Sharif family were in the final phase, theanti-graft watchdog has filed supplementary references against former primeminister Nawaz, his daughter Maryam Nawaz, son-in-law Captain (r) Safdarand former minister Ishaq Dar.

Previously, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed three casesof corruption and money laundering against Sharif, his family members andFinance Minister Ishaq Dar in the Islamabad Accountability Court followingthe verdict.

The Sharifs have denied any wrongdoing and have labeled the corruptionproceedings against them as politically motivated. Two of Nawaz’s sons arealso due to appear before the NAB court, along with Finance Minister IshaqDar.

Nawaz was disqualified by the Supreme Court in July for not declaring asource of income that he disputes receiving. The top court also ordered awide-ranging NAB investigation and trial into Sharif family members.

The Supreme Court specified that the trial be concluded within six monthsby NAB, which has in the past been derided as toothless because rich andpowerful politicians were seldom convicted.