ISLAMABAD: An accountability court began hearing the Al-Azizia Mills and Flagship Investment corruption references against former premier Nawaz Sharif on Monday (today).
Nawaz was transported from Adiala prison, where he is currently incarcerated following the Avenfield verdict, to the court premises in the federal capital amid tight security.
As the hearing went under way today, Khawaja Haris’ assisting lawyer apprised the court that Nawaz’s lawyer was busy in the Islamabad High Court, where a petition is fixed for hearing in the division bench today.
Accountability court II Judge Arshad Malik, who was hearing the case, inquired about the commencement time of the IHC hearing. To this, the assisting lawyer responded by saying that the division bench starts hearing cases at 11am.
The accountability court then adjourned the hearing till 12pm.
The trial
The trial against the Sharif family commenced on September 14, 2017.
On July 6, after four extensions in the original six-month deadline to conclude all three cases, the court announced its verdict in the Avenfield reference.
Nawaz and his sons, Hussain and Hasan, are accused in all three references whereas Maryam and Safdar were accused in the Avenfield reference only.
The two brothers, based abroad, have been absconding since the proceedings began last year and were declared proclaimed offenders by the court.
On July 10, the Supreme Court granted another six-week extension for Accountability Court-I Judge Mohammad Bashir to conclude the remaining corruption references against Nawaz and former finance minister Ishaq Dar.
