ISLAMABAD: The Accountability Court on Tuesday granted relief to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s sons – Hasan and Hussain – on petitions seeking acquittal in corruption cases related to Al-Azizia Steel Mills, Flagship Company and Avenfield Apartments.
Earlier, while presenting arguments to the court, the brothers’ counsel Qazi Misbah said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz was acquitted by the court in a reference document while the National Accountability Court (NAB) withdrew its appeal. even against the judgment of the court of first instance from November 29 last year.
The lawyer said that the proceedings cannot be conducted only on the charge of abetting a crime when the main suspect has been acquitted.
At the start of the case, the court asked Deputy Public Prosecutor NAB Azhar Maqbool about the report he was supposed to file for the case. The deputy public prosecutor pointed out to the court that the verdict of the Supreme Court is not an obstacle in the case, so the court can pronounce its verdict on the motion.
Maqbool requested the court to record his statement in this regard saying that the said proposal is not related to the NAB amendment. In these cases against Nawaz, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Captain (retired) Safdar, the apex court announced its verdict, he said.
He said NAB did not file an appeal against Maryam’s acquittal, but Hasan and Hussain were charged with aiding and abetting.
The NAB prosecutor said the main suspect in the cases involving Hasan and Hussain had been acquitted.
Defendant lawyer Misbah said Nawaz was acquitted on the same documents that acquitted Maryam and the accountability watchdog did not file an appeal against their acquittal. He announced that a copy of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) verdict in the case is available on the court’s website.
Misbah said NAB could not produce any evidence in the reference against Maryam and Nawaz and hence the IHC acquitted them in the case.
“IHC accepted Nawaz Sharif’s December 2023 appeal in Al-Azizia case. NAB did not challenge the decision to approve the recall of Nawaz Sharif,” he said.
The NAB, the lawyer said, has not produced any additional evidence on the basis of which the case should be pursued against Hasan and Hussain.
Prosecuting Hasan and Hussain would be a waste of the court’s time, Misbah said, adding that they could not be convicted on the evidence before the court.
On March 14, the accountability court granted bail to the two brothers in exchange for Rs 50,000 each in three references relating to Al-Azizia Steel Mill, Avenfield apartments and Flagship.
The court also revoked the brother’s eternal arrest warrants and refugee status in the mentioned cases.
Based on pleas filed by Nawaz’s sons for acquittal, the accountability court issued the NAB notice.
