NAB court rejects Sharif family’s petition for exemption from hearing

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The accountability court hearing corruption cases against the disqualified prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family, on Wednesday issued its written order rejecting the suspects petitions to travel abroad and demanded exemption from the appearance before the court.

The ousted premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law MNA Safdar had requested the NAB court to grant them exemption from appearance from February 19 to March 5 as they were planning to visit Kulsoom Nawaz, who is undergoing cancer treatment in London since August last year.

Earlier on February 15, the accountability court had rejected their petition.

Now on Wednesday the court issues a written order in the case, the court has stated that Nawaz’s wife’s ailment cannot be made a basis of being exempted from court proceedings. Similarly, the judge has ruled that going to London to finalise counsel for the recording of witnesses’ statements from there can also not be made a basis for exemption.

The next hearing of the case will take place on February 22.

Nawaz Sharif and his family are facing corruption references filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) including Al-Azizia Steel Mills, Flagship Investment Ltd and Avenfield properties in London.