—— Former Premier’s sons were accused in Avenfield, Flagship, and Al-Azizia references
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad acquitted on Tuesday former premier Nawaz Sharif’s sons, Hassan and Hussain Nawaz, in the Avenfield, Flagship, and Al-Azizia cases
The court, presided by Judge Nasir Javed Rana, had reserved its verdict.
During the hearing earlier today, NAB prosecutor Afzal Qureshi informed the court that no appeal was filed against the acquittal of Nawaz’s sons or incumbent Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. He added that the main accused in the case had been acquitted earlier.
The petitioner’s counsel, Advocate Qazi Misbah, stated that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) acquitted Nawaz after relying on the same documents that supported Maryam’s acquittal.
Misbah read the short decision of Nawaz’s acquittal in the court and said, “NAB had not filed an appeal against the acquittal of Maryam Nawaz and if the main accused in the case is acquitted, the case cannot proceed on the charge of aiding and abetting. In the flagship reference, Nawaz was acquitted by the trial court and NAB had withdrawn its appeal on November 29, 2023, against the decision of the trial court”.
“Now the decision of the accountability court is final, the third case was the Al-Azizia reference, the trial court sentenced Nawaz and on December 12, 2023, the IHC acquitted Nawaz in the Al-Azizia reference,” the counsel added.
The NAB official stated that the plea to extend Nawaz’s sentence was also withdrawn.
“NAB did not even appeal to the Supreme Court against the acquittal decision, even if all the evidence is accepted, there is no chance of sentencing.,” continued Advocate Misbah.
Earlier the same court granted Nawaz’s sons major relief by revoking its earlier order declaring them proclaimed offenders and cancelling their permanent arrest warrants.
The court also admitted the plea for their acquittal and directed the NAB to present all records of the cases. Hassan and Hussain were granted relief after they surrendered themselves before the AC judge.
The brothers had returned to Pakistan on March 12 after the same judge suspended their arrest warrants on March 7.
