ISLAMABAD: A NAB appeal against transfer of the Panama corruption references was fixed for hearing in the Supreme Court on Friday.

On August 7, a two-member bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, approved the transfer of both cases from the court of Accountability Judge-I Mohammad Bashir to Accountability Court II.

NAB moved the Supreme Court against the IHC’s decision and made the former premier and Judge Mohammad Bashir respondents.

A three-member bench of the apex court will hear the petition on September 11.

The Supreme Court bench will be headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar. The bench will include Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan.

Chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Justice (R) Javed Iqbal had challenged an order of the Islamabad High Court regarding the transfer of Al-Azizia and Flagship Investment references against former premier Nawaz Sharif and his family to another court.

In its petition, NAB stated that after the judgment in Avenfield reference the two remaining cases were under trial. IHC’s order for transfer of the remaining two cases cannot be maintained, the anti-graft body stated.

NAB is an affected party of IHC’s decision and Judge Muhammad Bashir should be allowed to continue hearing the two remaining two cases against Nawaz and his family, the petition further said.

On July 6, an accountability court had sentenced Nawaz to a total of 11 years in prison and slapped a £8 million fine (Rs1.3 billion) in the corruption reference, while his daughter Maryam was sentenced to eight years with a £2 million fine (Rs335 million). Nawaz’s son-in-law Capt (retd) Safdar was also given a one-year sentence without any fine. NNI