ISLAMABAD, Oct 18 (APP): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday sought comments from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on a petition of PML-N chief Muhammad Nawaz Sharif seeking protective bail.
The former prime minister, in his petition, stated that he would be reaching in Islamabad from abroad on October 21, and prayed the court to stop his arrest on arrival as he wanted to surrender before the court.
He said that on July 6, 2018, the accountability court had announced his imprisonment sentence in the Avenfield property case in his absence as he was in London due to his wife’s illness who was under treatment in London there. He had prayed the accountability court to delay the judgment but his request was not accepted.
He returned back to the country face the jail and filed appeals against the judgment, Nawaz Sharif added.
He stated that the court had already acquitted co-accused Maryam Nawaz and her husband Capt. (retd) Muhammad Safdar Awan in the Avenfield property case but his (Nawaz’s) appeal was dismissed due to absence.
The court had stated in its order that he could file the appeal again when he surrendered or was arrested, he added.
Nawaz further said that the joint investigation team (JIT) in the Panama Papers case could not provide any proof of corruption or receiving kickbacks against him.
He said that he could not appear before the court due to medical reasons, and his medical report had been submitted to Lahore High Court (LHC).
He added that he had not misused his bail.
Nawaz said that he would reach Islamabad at 1 a.m. on October 21, and prayed the court to grant protective bail as he wanted to surrender before it.
During the course of hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer Amjad Pervaiz Advocate gave the references of judgments of top court and said that the courts used to give an opportunity to accused if they wanted to surrender themselves before them.
There were many cases in the past where absconders were given an opportunity to surrender, he added.
NAB Prosecutor Afzal Qureshi said that they had no any objection if any accused wanted to surrender.
The court, however, served notices to NAB and sought arguments on Thursday.
The accountability court had awarded 10-year jail term to Nawaz Sharif along with 8 million pounds fine in the Avenfield property case and seven-year imprisonment sentence in the Al-Azia Steel Mills reference. The court had also disqualified the former prime minister for ten years for holding any public office.
An IHC bench had dismissed his appeals against the accountability court verdicts in June 2021 due to non-appearance.
