SC to hear NAB’s petition against suspension of Avenfield sentences

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court will hear a review petition filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) challenging the suspension of prison term of the Sharif family in a corruption reference, Geo reported.

The NAB had filed the petition in the apex court on Monday challenging an earlier decision by the Islamabad High Court to suspend sentences given to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and her husband Capt (retd) Safdar in the Avenfield reference.

The bureau asked for the September 19 decision by IHC to be declared null and void, contending that “IHC had failed to appreciate that through its order, it had seriously prejudiced the case of the prosecution by holding that the trial court judgement suffered from obvious and glaring defects and infirmities and that the convictions and sentences handed down to the accused might not be sustained ultimately.”

It prayed the apex court to restore the sentences awarded to the Sharifs and to cancel the bail granted to all the accused in the reference.

Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar earlier constituted a three-member bench headed by him to hear the appeal. However, as per sources, Justice Umar Atta Bandyal recused himself from the bench. Following which, Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel was added to the bench, headed by the CJP.