IHC raises objections on NAB plea for Sharif’s bail cancellation

ISLAMABAD : The Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) registrar office on Friday raised objections to a petition filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for cancellation of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s bail in the Avenfield properties reference. The high court registrar will admit the national graft buster’s petition for hearing once the objections are addressed. The anti-corruption watchdog stated in his petition that Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leaders have intervened into the judicial matters by suggesting Nawaz Sharif for not arriving in Pakistan. In its 14-page, the institution sought suspension of bail to Nawaz Sharif in Avenfield reference besides seeking action against the PML-N leaders. It is pertinent to mention here that the high court had suspended the 10-year jail term of Nawaz Sharif in Avenfield reference. A day earlier, the IHC had ruled that the court will decide on September 15 whether the former prime minister will get any relief or not. A two-judge bench comprising Justice Aamir Farooq and Mohsin Akhtar Kayani was hearing appeals filed by the PML-N supremo against his conviction in the Al-Azizia and Avenfield cases. He had filed a plea seeking exemption from personal appearance in today’s hearing the other day. The bench questioned how can the court proceed with his plea without his surrendering before it and directed both his lawyer Khawaja Haris and the NAB prosecutor to forward their arguments in this regard on next hearing.