Hussain, Hasan Nawaz ‘land in Lahore’ after suspension of arrest warrants

LAHORE: Hasan Nawaz, and Hussain Nawaz — sons of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) supremo Nawaz Sharif — have arrived in Lahore after suspension of their arrest warrants by an accountability court.

Upon their arrival, Nawaz received his sons at Jati Umrah residence, Geo News reported citing sources. Last week, an accountability court suspended the arrests warrants of Hasan and Hussain in the Al-Azizia, Flagship and Avenfield cases.

The decision was announced by accountability court judge Nasir Javed Rana in a verdict he reserved earlier Tuesday. The warrants have been suspended till March 14, as per the verdict.

The warrants of the brothers were issued seven years ago when the court had declared them absconders. Earlier, their lawyer, Qazi Misbah, filed the plea seeking suspension of the warrants as both brothers planned to return to Pakistan on March 12. National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutors Sardar Muzaffar, Usman Masood and Sohail Arif also appeared in the court.

Misbah revealed the development during the hearing of Toshakhana reference filed against Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani wherein the politicians are accused of having kept various vehicles in violation of the Toshakhana rules.

Arif, a NAB prosecutor, said that the accused should appear in court, as per the law. “[They] will have to appear, [as] without it the warrant of arrest cannot be suspended.” He added that the purpose of the warrant is to bring the accused to court, insisting that both brothers should be given a chance to appear before the accountability court.

Following the completion of arguments by both sides, the accountability court reserved its decision on the petitions.