ISLAMABAD: The accountability court will announce it reserved verdict in Al Azizia and Flagship references filed against deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif today (Monday ).
Accountability Court Judge Arshad Malik had on Wednesday reserved the verdict to be declared on December 24.
During the last hearing, defence counsel Khawaja Haris presented a rebuttal to statements made by the prosecution. Nawaz’s counsel also petitioned the court for additional time to submit some more documents; however, the court rejected the request.
At the end of hearing, PML-N supremo and former thrice prime minister stepped up to the rostrum and said to accountability court judge Arshad Malik “is this my last appearance before court?” Accountability judge replied “yes this is your last appearance”.
Nawaz Sharif further went on to say that not a single penny corruption could be proved against me. It was very painful to attend the court hearing in case that was filed on the bases of assumptions.
Former premier Nawaz Sharif also met his younger brother and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif at the Ministers’ Enclave after reaching Islamabad from Lahore on Sunday.
The siblings discussed prevalent political scenario alongside the reserved verdict in NAB references – Flagship, Al-Azizia- against Nawaz.
The both leaders formulated the strategy for a power show and also directed PML-N lawmakers and workers to reach Islamabad to join the power show. They also agreed to seek support from the Pakistan People s party (PPP) to steer out of political quagmire.
During the meeting, the duo discussed various aspects of post-verdict situation, and agreed to launch a mass contact campaign in view of a guilty verdict landing Nawaz Sharif behind the bars (as the case may be).
The former prime minister said no matter what the accountability court decides in the corruption references against the Sharif family, they will take a legal course of action in the matter.
The Sharif family’s trial had commenced on September 14, 2017.
On July 6, after four extensions in the original six-month deadline to conclude all three cases, the accountability court announced its verdict in the Avenfield reference. Nawaz, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Captain (r) Safdar were sentenced to 11 years, eight years and one year, respectively, in prison.
Nawaz and his sons, Hussain and Hasan, are accused in all three references whereas Maryam and Safdar were accused in the Avenfield reference only.
The two brothers, based abroad, have been absconding since the proceedings began last year and were declared proclaimed offenders by the court. Meanwhile, Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Sunday vowed to play an active part in mobilising PML-N workers to raise voice for justice for party leader Nawaz Sharif, sources said.
The daughter of the former prime minister expressed her ambitions in a meeting with Nawaz on Sunday, sources said. She was quoted as saying that the accountability court’s decisions that were meant to distance her father from the masses were grounded in baseless assumptions.
Maryam Nawaz also posted an emotional post on social media about her parents. “The last time I saw HER was in the coffin. The last time I saw HIM smile was with HER. May Allah have mercy on both of you. Ameen,” she said in tweet.
Maryam’s mother Kulsoom Nawaz passed away in September this year while her father is facing two corruption references, whose verdict is due today (Monday). On September 11, Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, the wife of former prime, passed away in London after battling cancer.
Published in Daily Times, December 24th 2018.
