Connect with us

Politics

IHC issues notice to NAB on Nawaz’s protective bail pleas

Published

on

  • Bail petition filed for the Avenfield and Al-Azizia cases.
  • Nawaz set to return on October 21 after four-year exile.
  • PML-N chief also declared proclaimed offender in Toshakhana case.

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday issued a notice to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif’s petitions seeking protective bail in Al-Azizia and Avenfiled references.

The protective bail petitions were filed in the IHC by Nawaz ‘s legal team to restrain the authorities from arresting him when he returns back to country on October 21.

IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb conducted the hearing on the bail plea and issued notice to the anti-corruption watchdog which had filed references against the former PM.

PML-N chief’s lawyer Amjad Pervez requested the IHC bench to grant protective bail to his client as he wanted to surrender before the court.

The three-time former prime minister was declared a proclaimed offender by IHC in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia cases over non-compliance after he went to London for medical treatment with the court’s permission in November 2019.

In Avenfield and Al-Azizia references, Nawaz was sentenced to 10 and seven years in prison, respectively, by an accountability court in 2018.

His appeals against the convictions were dismissed by the IHC bench comprising IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Mohsin Akhtar Kayani for non-compliance.

Nawaz’s sentence in Al-Azizia reference was suspended in 2019 by the Lahore High Court (LHC) on medical grounds and he was permitted to fly to London to seek treatment, after which he did not return.

The PML-N supremo was also declared a proclaimed offender in the Toshakhana case and a separate bail petition has also been filed in an accountability court.

The former PM’s three protective bail applications sought the IHC’s direction to stop authorities from arresting Nawaz from the airport on his return to the country on October 21 to allow him to surrender before the court.

Convictions and court orders

It is pertinent to note that an accountability court sentenced the three-time prime minister in Avenfield and Al-Azizia Steel Mills references in 2018.

The sentence was challenged in the high court which had suspended the accountability court’s sentence.

Appeal proceedings — for the petition challenging the sentences — were under proceedings when Nawaz travelled abroad for medical treatment and didn’t return to pursue the case.

The PML-N supremo — after he moved to Lahore High Court (LHC) instead of the IHC — was allowed to go abroad for four weeks after his brother and party president Shehbaz Sharif submitted an undertaking in the court assuring Nawaz’s return once his health improves.

The IHC — in the absence of the PML-N supremo — threw out the appeals on account of “non-prosecution” instead of adjourning the proceedings for an indefinite period.

The court, while declaring Nawaz as a proclaimed offender, noted that the appeals were rejected on technical grounds and not on the merits of the arguments.

The applicant can once again file an appeal against the sentence upon his return, the court added.

Latest News

The PPP and PML-N will confer on power-sharing arrangements in Punjab today.

Published

on

By

The coordination committees of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are scheduled to convene today at the Governor’s House in Lahore to deliberate on power-sharing arrangements in Punjab.

The PPP delegation would comprise Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Makhdoom Syed Ahmed Mahmood, Nadeem Afzal Chan, Hassan Murtaza, and Ali Haider Gilani.

Ishaq Dar, Azam Nazir Tarar, Rana Sanaullah, Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, and Maryam Aurangzeb will represent the PML-N.

The conference will discuss local issues in Punjab and offer a forum for the PPP to express its concerns over its collaboration with PML-N in the province.

Both parties seek to fortify their partnership and optimize governance techniques in Punjab.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Sheikh Rasheed says PTI and government negotiations won’t provide any results.

Published

on

By

Sheikh Rasheed voiced his worries about the nation’s ongoing political dilemma while speaking outside the Anti-Terrorism Court.

According to Sheikh Rasheed, a committee was established to negotiate, but the process has not produced any tangible results. In order to emphasize the seriousness of the situation, he said, “Political conditions are extremely bad.”

He made the joke, “Even after war, if negotiations fail, then it will all come down to judo karate,” in reference to the next steps.

“Everyone there prays for Pakistan’s betterment,” Sheikh Rasheed, who had returned from Saudi Arabia, said. He emphasized the necessity for the nation’s circumstances to improve and stabilize.

Assad Qaiser, a former speaker and PTI leader, had earlier called on Speaker Ayaz Sadiq of the National Assembly to discuss the official start of talks with the government.

The two leaders shared their opinions on bringing parties together on matters of national importance and reducing political tensions and conflict.

“I will persuade my people, you persuade the hardliners in your party,” Ayaz Sadiq said to Assad Qaiser.

The party’s founder is in jail, and the PTI leadership has asked to meet with him. “We will continue to confer with him,” Assad Qaiser declared.

Earlier, PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai stated that if the discussions don’t begin, a campaign of civil disobedience will begin on December 14.

Speaking to the media Regarding the meetings, Yousafzai claimed that the government ministers were making insincere remarks.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Bushra Bibi maintains bail as the IHC concludes the FIA’s petition.

Published

on

By

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) conducted a hearing about the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) plea for the revocation of Bushra Bibi’s bail.

The court, led by Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, rejected the FIA’s petition during the hearing.

Judicial Proceedings

Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb sought information regarding Bushra Bibi’s location, to which her attorney, Barrister Salman Safdar, affirmed her attendance in court.

The judge urged the counsel to regard the matters with gravity, underscoring the necessity of adherence to trial protocols.

The court sought details about instances where Bushra Bibi had been exempted from attending trial hearings and clarified that if the High Court grants bail and the accused fails to appear, the trial court holds the authority to cancel the bail.

Justice Aurangzeb assured that such actions would not amount to contempt of the High Court’s order.

Based on these considerations, the court closed the proceedings and dismissed the FIA’s plea.

Continue Reading

Trending