Islamabad High Court Serves Notices To Nawaz Sharif In Al-Azizia Case

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Monday served notices to former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in appeals of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) seeking enhancement in his imprisonment term in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case and acquittal in the Flagship Investment case

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Jan, 2019 ) :The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Monday served notices to former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in appeals of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) seeking enhancement in his imprisonment term in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case and acquittal in the Flagship Investment case.

The IHC bench comprising Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhatr Kiyani also sought the case record of Flagship Investment reference.

NAB contended that the trial court had acquitted the former premier in the Flagship Investment case giving him the benefit of doubt, which was unjustified. In the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case, Nawaz Sharif was found guilty with all charges against him proven so the seven-year jail sentence given to him was not enough, which should be increased, it argued.

Nawaz's counsel Khawaja Haris, however, argued before the bench that the former prime minister was not the real owner of the assets, but he had been sentenced in the Al-Azizia reference.

During the course of hearing, Justice asked whether the former prime minister was holding any public office in 1991. Was the Flagship Investment company established in the United Kingdom and its profit had been shifted to Pakistan, he further asked.

The NAB prosecutor apprised the bench that the company was established in 2001 and according to the case record, the former prime minister also remained its chairman.

Justice Aamer Farooq observed that it would be appropriate to summon the case record before moving forward.

Following the lawyers' arguments, the bench summoned the record of the trial and issued notices to the former prime minister.

The same bench also served notices to NAB on Nawaz's appeal challenging his imprisonment in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case.

It may be mentioned here that Nawaz was sentenced to seven years jail term by the accountability court in the Al-Azizia reference along with fine on December 24. He was acquitted in the Flagship corruption reference.