An accountability court on Tuesday gave Nawaz Sharif till June 19 to hire a new lawyer a day after Khawaja Haris recused himself from representing the former prime minister.
Islamabad, (Pakistan Point News - 12th Jun, 2018) : An accountability court on Tuesday gave Nawaz Sharif till June 19 to hire a new lawyer a day after Khawaja Haris recused himself from representing the former prime minister. Haris had recused himself from representing the former prime minister in all three corruption references filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against the Sharif family, after the Supreme Court earlier directives to wrap up the trial within a month.
As the hearing the Avenfield reference resumed today, Nawaz appeared before the court without his lawyer. Judge Muhammad Bashir, who was hearing the reference, asked Nawaz Tuesday if he wanted to hire another legal counsel or continue with Haris whose recusal request has not yet been accepted. To this, Nawaz answered that the decision was not an easy one. "A lawyer worked hard on this case for nine months; it is not an easy decision," Nawaz told the court.
The deposed prime minister lamented that his lawyer had informed the court of his inability to work on Saturdays and Sundays. "Nearly hundred attendances have been marked in the case," Nawaz stated. "Is this case going to be heard 24 hours a day and seven days a week?" "Is there any similar example?" Nawaz questioned. The court then adjourned the hearing of Avenfield reference till June 14 (Thursday) and exempted the former premier and his daughter, Maryam, from appearing for the hearing. The hearing of Al-Azizia reference was later adjourned till June 19.
