Corruption references: Hasan, Hussain Nawaz declared proclaimed offenders

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The accountability court declared Hasan and Hussain Nawaz, sons of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, proclaimed offenders on Wednesday in three corruption references after they failed to appear in the court despite repeated summons.

The accountability court adjourned the proceeding of declaring Hasan and Hussain Nawaz proclaimed offenders on Tuesday after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) submitted a fulfillment report on a process to declared both the brothers escapee.

Hasan and Hussain Nawaz skipped all hearings as they are residing in London with their ailing mother Begum Kulsoom Nawaz and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed three corruption references against them, regarding London flats, Al-Azizia Steel Mills and other companies against them after the apex court verdict in Panama case on July 28 of this year.

NAB team submitted a report on Tuesday of four bank accounts of owned by Hussain Nawaz and as per the report the accounts possess $3992, 4272 Euros, 207 pounds and Rs382,381 in the four accounts respectively.

The NAB team also informed the court that the Hasan and Hussain Nawaz did not have any property in the areas which is under control of Lahore Development Authority and Defense Housing Authority.

The prosecutor also submitted report regarding the process of declaring both the brothers as escapee as both the sons of former premier were not show up in the court despite several summons and given deadline of 30 days to appear in the court.

Earlier on October 9, the court had accepted NAB’s request to declare the brothers proclaimed offenders and conduct their separate trial. The court had also ordered to initiate proceedings to declare the brothers as escapee.

The NAB following the orders of the court pasted the court’s proclamation order on the main gate of the Sharifs’ residence in Model Town and Jati Umra on 12 October and the notices were also sent to London to paste at their residence.

Later, the court ordered the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) to freeze the assets of Hasan and Hussain.