ISLAMABAD – The Supreme Court has granted a relief to the Sharif family inthe cases being perused in the Accountability Court.

SC on Wednesday extended the deadline for an accountability court, hearingcorruption cases against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and familymembers, to conclude the cases.

The accountability court was earlier given 6 months time to complete thecases and now another two months have been extended for cases completion.

The apex court has granted two months extension to the trial court for thecorruption trial as the previous deadline is going to expire on March 13.

Following the Panamagate verdict, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB)filed four references against members of Sharif family and former financeminister Ishaq Dar. The apex court had directed the NAB to decide thereferences within six months.

The NAB had filed three interim corruption references against former primeminister Nawaz Sharif, his children – Hasan, Hussain and Maryam Nawaz – andson-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar in light of the Supreme Court’s July 28verdict in the Panama Papers case.

The anti-graft watchdog recently filed supplementary references in allthree cases – Avenfiled properties, Al-Azizia Steel Mills, FlagshipInvestment and other offshore companies.

Sharif’s sons -Hassan and Hussain – have also been named as accused in thereferences, however, due to continued absence both have been declaredproclaimed offenders.

A reference has been filed against Ishaq Dar for possessing assets beyondknown sources of income.

The Supreme Court has granted three more months to the accountability courtto conclude the case of former finance minister.