IHC acquits PML-N supermo Nawaz Sharif in Avenfield reference

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was on Wednesday acquitted in the Avenfield reference by the Islamabad High Court in what is being seen as a major legal victory for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

The court also dismissed the plea filed by the National Accountability Bureau in the Flagship reference against the PML-N leader after the accountability watchdog withdrew it.

The verdict was announced by a two-judge bench headed by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb.

Interacting with media outside the court, Nawaz Sharif said he had entrusted the matter to Almighty God who has vindicated him. “Also in Al-Azizia reference, I’ve left the matter to Almighty God,” added the three-time premier.

Commenting on the high court’s verdict, PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz stated on X, “When a person, despite enduring injustice, entrusts their affairs to Allah Almighty, then He makes the person triumphant in the eyes of the whole world. This is an example of it, praise be to Allah!”

Earlier on Monday, the IHC adjourned the hearing of appeals filed by PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif against Al-Azizia and Avenfield references till Wednesday (Nov 29).

IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq headed the two-member bench.

During the previous hearing, the court had sought arguments from parties in the Al-Azizia and Avenfield references.

Nawaz’s lawyer Amjad Parvez had pleaded the court to give his client four to six hours time for advancing arguments whereas the NAB had sought only half an hour for giving arguments.

The court had said it could hear the case on a day-to-day basis.

In July 2018, as the then-prime minister, Nawaz was handed 10 years in jail in the Avenfield properties corruption reference for owning assets beyond known income and one year for not cooperating with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), both of which were to be served concurrently.

Courtesy: (Dunya News)