Al-Azizia case: IHC to hear Nawaz Sharif’s petition today

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) will hear Nawaz Sharif’s plea against sentence awarded to him in the Al Azizia corruption reference, on Thursday.

According to details, a two-member bench of the IHC comprising Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiani will hear the petition.

The disqualified prime minister Nawaz Sharif in his petion filed in the court has pleaded to strike down the sentence awarded to him in the Al Azizia reference, as the accountability court has announced its verdict in the reference, without taking his stance.

Khawaja Haris, counsel of the former PM, filed an appeal with the IHC seeking early hearing into the petition. The petition reads: “The writ petition no. 32/2019 pertains to the suspension of sentence of the appellant and his release on bail pending final decision of the titled Appeal. It is requested that the writ petition be fixed at an early date.”

He further said that transparent trial was the right of every Pakistani.

Last year on December 24, the accountability court judge Muhammad Arshad Malik had sentenced Sharif to seven years in prison in the Al-Azizia reference case.

It may be recalled that Nawaz Sharif handed himself over back to the Kot Lakhpat jail authorities as his bail given on medical grounds by the Supreme Court had expired on May  7.