ISLAMABAD: The accountability court hearing corruption cases against Nawaz Sharif and his family members has rejected an application filed by the ousted prime minister for clubbing together the three references filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) relating to Avenfield properties, Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investments reference.
During the hearing headed by Justice Mohammad Bashir, the reserved verdict was announced, stating that all three references cannot be clubbed due to their different nature and money trails. The number of witnesses in the references also varies, it further stated.
After the announcement of the judgement, Sharif was called to the rostrum and the judge read out the charges against him. The former prime minister was indicted separately in each of the three references, he pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges.
Nawaz Sharif said the proceeding was initiated on political basis, adding that the fundamental rights are being violated. Will defend myself during trial, he continued.
The Sharif family members left the court after the hearing was adjourned until November 15.
Earlier, Nawaz Sharif along with his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law retired Captain Mohammad Safdar appeared before the accountability court in Islamabad on Wednesday as hearing resumed into the references filed under the directives of the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case verdict. INP