Nawaz petitions IHC for restoring appeals in graft cases

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif has moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday seeking restoration of appeals against the accountability courts’ verdicts in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia cases. The court will hear the pleas today (Tuesday).

Nawaz’s counsel Amjad Pervez filed the petitions in the court, requesting it to hear them on merit as earlier they were discarded for non-compliance when the PMLN supremo did not return from London after he was granted permission by the court in November 2019 to go abroad for medical treatment.

In the Avenfield petition, the PML-N chief maintained that he had been sentenced in absentia on July 6, 2018, as he could not attend a court hearing in view of his wife’s ailment, who was undergoing treatment and on the ventilator at a hospital in London.

Nawaz said his appeals against the Avenfield and Al-Azizia references were not dismissed on merit rather they were discarded for non-compliance. “[…] the absence of the petitioner before this court was neither intentional nor deliberate or mala-fide, rather, he was unable to enter appearance due to medical advice and circumstances beyond his control. Unfortunately, his health condition could not improve and the requisite procedures got delayed on account of COVID-19, on account of the peculiar background and nature of various serious ailments, he was consistently advised not to travel and stay in close proximity of healthcare facilities in London for ongoing treatment and planned interventions which facts are duly reflected in the medical reports,” the pleas said.

The PMLN supremo implored the court in the petitions to restore the appeal “to its original position along with all interim, incidental and ancillary orders connected therewith and the same may kindly decided on merits in accordance with law in the interest of justice”. “Any other relief deemed appropriate in the peculiar circumstances of the case be also awarded,” the plea added.

Nawaz had signed legal documents including appeals to be filed in the IHC after returning to Pakistan after four years of self-imposed exile in London on Saturday. The appeals were dismissed due to non-appearance in the IHC.

Ahead of returning to the country, the former PM had secured protective bail in the graft cases till October 24, which averted threat of his immediate arrest. In July 2018, the ousted prime minister was handed a 10-year jail sentence in the Avenfield reference for owning assets beyond known income and one year for not cooperating with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), which was to be served concurrently.

PMLN Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz was sentenced to seven years in jail in the case but was acquitted in September 2022 along with her husband Captain (retd) Safdar.

In the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference, Nawaz Sharif was sentenced to seven years in jail on Dec 24, 2018 and then taken to Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail from where he was shifted to Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail next day.

Meanwhile, Nawaz Sharif reached Murree from Lahore. When he arrived in Islamabad, workers welcomed him at the toll plaza and showered him with petals.