Accountability court reserves decision on Nawaz, Maryam’s appearance exemption petitions

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Accountability court hearing corruption reference against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family reserved its decision on Nawaz sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz plea seeking a brief exemption from appearance.

The ousted premier, Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz appeared in court for the Avenfield properties case hearing and submitted the request seeking exemption from appearing in court for a week starting March 26.

Lawyers also submitted medical report of Nawaz’s wife, Kulsoom along with the request. Kulsoom has been in London undergoing treatment for lymphoma since late last year.

Nawaz’s counsel Khawaja Haris informed the judge that Kulsoom will be undergoing chemotherapy and her doctors have advised Nawaz’s presence beside his wife.

The request states that Ali Aimal and Jahangir Jadoon will appear in place of Nawaz and Maryam respectively.

Opposing the request, prosecutor Afzal Qureshi argued that the suspects should not be allowed to leave the country as the trial is in its concluding stages.

An earlier similar request of Nawaz to visit his ailing wife was turned down by the court.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed three interim corruption references against the Sharif family in September last year in light of the Supreme Court’s July 28 verdict in the Panama Papers case. The bureau recently filed supplementary references in all three cases as well.