Pakistan: Three Corruption Cases Will See Nawaz Sharif’s Sons Turned Over

Islamabad: The three-time prime minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, and his two sons have petitioned the accountability court to have their arrest warrants for three cases of corruption linked to the Panama Papers suspended. This would allow them to appear in court on March 12, Dawn said.

Suspend Arrest Warrant Appeal
Through their attorney Qazi Misbahul Hassan, Hussain and Hassan Nawaz submitted a motion at the Islamabad accountability court to have their perpetual arrest warrants for the Avenfield Apartments, Al-Azizia, and Flagship Investment cases revoked.

The Judge of Accountability, Nasir Javed Rana, considered Hussain and Hassan Nawaz’s petitions.

The PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz, and retired Captain Safdar were also named as accused parties in these references, the attorney told the court, adding that they live in Saudi Arabia and the UK, respectively.

Not Aware Of The Official Court System
He added that none of them were in Pakistan when the trial in these instances started. As Dawn reported, Advocate Qazi Misbah said that they were not aware of the official legal procedure and that the state never made an effort to follow the proper procedure to carry out the legal process, which includes issuing notifications, arrest warrants, and proclamations.

Hussain and Hassan Will Turn Up in Court
He went on to say that Hussain and Hassan had made the decision to appear in court and be put on trial.

The advisor said that on March 12, both of the former premier’s sons are expected to arrive in Islamabad. In order for the two to appear in court to surrender, they asked the judge to postpone their arrest warrants.

Nawaz Sharif’s Conviction Prior to the General Elections
Notably, only a few days before the last general election, Nawaz Sharif and her daughter Maryam Nawaz were found guilty in the Avenfield matter. The leader of the PML-N was likewise found guilty in the Al-Azizia case in December 2018, while he was found not guilty in the Flagship Investment case.

Before the Islamabad High Court, Nawaz, Maryam, and her retired captain Safdar contested their conviction in the Avenfield matter. The conviction in the Al-Azizia reference was also contested by the three-time premier.

Declared Criminal
Sharif was labeled a “proclaimed offender” by the Islamabad High Court nonetheless, after he left the country and never returned.

Maryam and Safdar followed up on the issue while he was in the UK, and eventually, the Islamabad High Court overturned their sentence. According to Dawn, Nawaz Sharif returned to Pakistan in October of last year, and after reviving his appeals against convictions, the IHC also overturned his conviction in both instances.