A IHC division bench headed by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq announces the verdict after hearing arguments of the both sides in the case.
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Dec 12nd, 2023) The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday acquitted Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Supremo and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia reference.
A IHC two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb passed the orders on the appeal of the PML-N supreme leader.
Nawaz Sharif, appearing in person, faced arguments from a National Accountability Bureau prosecutor during the proceedings.
In December 2018, an accountability court had sentenced him to seven years in prison and imposed a fine of 2.5 million Pounds in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference. Challenging this decision, Nawaz Sharif sought to overturn both the imprisonment and the fine.
The only remaining legal obstacle preventing Nawaz Sharif from participating in the upcoming general elections on February 8 next year is his lifetime disqualification as a parliamentarian.
Earlier on November 29, the Islamabad High Court acquitted Nawaz Sharif in the Avenfield reference and dismissed the NAB's plea in the Flagship reference against his acquittal.
In July 2017, the Supreme Court had disqualified Nawaz Sharif as the prime minister for not declaring a receivable salary from his son. The court instructed the NAB to initiate proceedings in two corruption cases and the Flagship case, all stemming from revelations in the Panama Papers.
The Panama papers, revealed in April 2016, exposed offshore companies and assets owned by three of Nawaz Sharif’s children that were not disclosed on his family's wealth statement. The allegations that these companies were used to hide or launder ill-gotten wealth or to evade taxes raised questions about the then prime minister’s credibility.
In response, the opposition, led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), intensified protests to pressure the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif as the prime minister. The Supreme Court, taking up the Panama case, formed a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe corruption allegations. Based on JIT findings, Nawaz Sharif was disqualified as Pakistan’s prime minister on July 28, 2017. Subsequently, he faced the Al-Azizia Steel Mills, Avenfield, and Flagship references brought against him by the accountability watchdog.
