Transfer of Sharifs cases: SC to take up NAB criminal appeal next week

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) will take up next week, hearing into a criminal appeal, filed by National Accountability Bureau (NAB), praying for allowing Muhammad Bashir, former Judge Accountability Court to continue hearing the remaining two corruption references---Al Azizia and Hill Metal Establishment and Flagship against Sharif family.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Umer Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsen will hear on September 11, the NAB appeal, challenging the order passed by the Islamabad High Court (IHC), transferring remaining corruption references against Sharif family to another accountability court.

Last week, NAB chairman through its Prosecutor General had filed a criminal petition for leave to appeal under Article 185(3) of the Constitution against the order passed by the learned IHC on August 7, 2018.

The NAB had prayed to the apex court to set aside the IHC verdict and the judge Muhammad Bashir of Accountability Court No 1 be allowed to continue hearing the remaining two corruption references — Al Azizia and Hill Metal Establishment and Flagship and other companies.

The IHC division bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb had allowed former prime minister’s application that sought court’s help to transfer remaining references from Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir to any other court.

On July 6, the accountability court No 1 Judge Muhammad Bashir convicted former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam and her spouse Captain (R) Muhammad Safdar and awarded sentence of 10 years, seven years and two years, respectively in Avenfiled reference.