Nawaz Sharif has filed a petition in the IHC challenging the verdict of Accountability Court in al-Azizia reference.
Islamabad (Pakistan Point News – 1st January, 2019) Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has challenged his conviction in al-Azizia reference in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
Nawaz Sharif has filed a petition in the IHC challenging the verdict of Accountability Court in al-Azizia reference.
Nawaz Sharif has requested the court to reject his conviction in the corruption reference.
After failure of Nawaz Sharif to provide money trail in Al Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference, the Accountability Court on December 24 sentenced the former prime minister with seven years imprisonment and a fine of $ 25 million and Rs 1.5 billion.
"The prosecution has successfully established all the ingredients of the offence of corruption and corrupt practices against Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif as defined under section 9(a)(v) of the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999 read with section 14(c)," read the judgement.
Accountability Court Judge Arshad Malik in his 131-page judgment also disqualified Nawaz Sharif for holding any public office for a period of 10 years and to avail any financial facility in the form of loan or grant.
On announcement of the verdict, the NAB officials arrested Nawaz Sharif from the courtroom, and shifted him to Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore.
According to the judgment reserved on December 19 and announced On December 24, the court acquitted Nawaz Sharif in Flagship Investment reference due to insufficient evidence.
As many as 38 witnesses recorded their statements in both the cases.
The Accountability Court-I and II held 183 hearings. Nawaz Sharif appeared in person before AC-I Judge Muhammad Bashir for 70 times and AC-II Judge Arshad Malik for 60 times.
After being convicted in the Avenfield case, Nawaz Sharif was produced before the courts for 15 times from Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi.
The accountability court had already announced its judgment in the Avenfield reference, giving 10-year imprisonment to Nawaz Sharif, seven-year to his daughter Maryam and one year to his son-in-law Captain (Retd) Muhammad Safdar, which was later suspended by the Islamabad High Court.
In light of Supreme Court's verdict in the Panama papers case, NAB had filed three references pertaining to Al-Azizia Steel Mills, Avenfield property and Flagship Investment against the former prime minister and his family members. He was accused of concealing and setting up businesses and purchasing property abroad in the name of his children.
The scandal surfaced on April 3, 2016 when the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) leaked 11.5 million documents of Panama Papers disclosing 214,488 offshore companies owned by influential persons across the globe. It also carried the Names of Nawaz's sons Hassan and Hussain Nawaz as owners of offshore companies and Avenfied apartments.
Political parties, particularly Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), filed petitions with the apex court seeking disqualification of Nawaz Sharif for having assets abroad, which he had not declared in the country. During the proceedings, the court constituted a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the matter further.
Nawaz's sons produced a letter of Qatri Prince Hammad bin Jassim in the apex court stating that the accused had made an investment with the royal family and the London apartments were purchased from that amount. However, the accused had failed to convince the prince to record his statement before the JIT.
In its July 28, 2017 judgment of the Panama Papers case, the Supreme Court disqualified Nawaz Sharif as member of the National Assembly, consequently as prime minister, directing NAB to file corruption references before the accountability court.
