The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday decided to begin hearing arguments on PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s appeals against his conviction in the Al-Azizia and Avenfield Apartments references from November 27.
A division bench of the IHC, comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, took the decision.
The PML-N supremo appeared at the IHC today amid tight security and was accompanied by an entourage that included his brother and former premier Shehbaz Sharif and other senior PML-N leaders.
At the start of the hearing, Nawaz’s counsel Azam Nazir Tarar said his client wished to present arguments on the appeal submitted against his conviction in the Avenfield reference.
When asked how much time would be required by Nawaz’s counsel, the court was informed that it would take a few hours while the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) counsel said he would not require much time.
Justice Aamer Farooq then said that the court would begin hearing the arguments on Monday and adjourned the hearing till November 27.
Nawaz and corruption references
Nawaz Sharif was convicted in the Avenfield case in July 2018 and the Al-Azizia case in December of the same year. He later filed appeals against his conviction in the IHC.
However, on June 24, 2021, an IHC bench led by Justice Farooq rejected the appeals due to Nawaz’s failure to appear in court for several hearings.
Nawaz, who was serving a seven-year jail term after his conviction in the Al-Azizia case, was granted rare permission to seek medical treatment abroad in October 2019.
The PML-N supreme leader chose not to return to the country despite repeated court summonses, leading to both the IHC and an accountability court declaring him a proclaimed offender.
In its nine-page judgment of June 24, 2021, the IHC stated that since Nawaz was a “fugitive from the law,” he had lost his right of audience before the court. The court had no choice but to dismiss his appeal, the order said.
However, both the IHC and the accountability court on October 19, 2023 granted the former premier protective bail until October 24, 2023, ahead of his return to Pakistan after four years of self-exile in London.
