Nawaz Sharif criticises SC after appearing before accountability court

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif once again criticised the Supreme Court of Pakistan hours after he appeared before an accountability court on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference, Sharif said although he and his family were apparent targets of a campaign, it was the people and the country that have become ultimate victims.  

"I have faced gravity of circumstances before, and still continue to face, but never bowed before dictatorship."

He said the Panama case was the first example in which defender was deprived of all the rights.

The former prime minister said he was punished on the pretext of Iqama because the court wouldn't have been able to punish him in Panama Papers case.

Sharif said the court formed a mysterious Joint Investigation Team after finding no evidence against him in the wake of Panama Papers revelations.

Nawaz Sharif said the court ordered the NAB to break its rules to file a reference against him. "Then the court took control of the NAB," said he.

"The same court has become monitor of the accountability court and it seems it would also hear my final petition".

The accountability court on Tuesday decided to indict former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in three NAB references on 2 October and issued bailable arrest warrants for his children and son-in-law Capt Safdar (retd) as they skipped second appearance.

Earlier, Nawaz Sharif appeared before the accountability court briefly in corruption cases that have been filed on the orders of the Supreme Court as per 28 July verdict in Panama Papers case.