CJP dismisses Nawaz’s appeal on clubbing references

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Thursday dismissed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s appeal seeking the clubbing together of three corruption references against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). Nawaz Sharif had earlier petitioned the apex court regarding the same matter but the petition was rejected by the SC registrar.
The former PM subsequently appealed against the registrar’s decision, saying that filing three separate references was illegal and violates the law and the Constitution besides being violative of his (Nawaz Sharif’s) fundamental rights. During Thursday’s hearing, which was held in the CJ’s chamber, Nawaz Sharif’s lawyer Khawaja Muhammad Harris once again argued for consolidation of the three corruption references, saying that the charges levelled against the Sharifs were common in all the three references.
The references relate to different assets but all three named the same persons as accused. He said the accountability court only had the authority to continue with the proceedings after merging the references, adding that under the law an accused could not be punished for the same crime multiple times.
Chief Justice Saqib Nisar upheld the registrar’s decision and refused to order the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to club the references together. Talking to a private TV channel, Nawaz Sharif’s counsel Khawaja Harris said they were not expecting this decision, adding that such appeals are usually heard in an open court.
Nawaz Sharif has filed a similar plea seeking the clubbing of three references into one in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), which is hearing the case. The next hearing will take place on Monday. Nawaz Sharif has now exhausted all forums in the hope for repressing his grievances without any success. – Agencies
Asim Yasin adds: NAB recommended to the Interior Ministry to put the name of Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on the Exit Control List (ECL).
NAB issued these directions following the order of the accountability court, which issued non-bailable warrants of Ishaq Dar.
A corruption reference pertaining to Ishaq Dar's owning assets disproportionate to his known sources of income was filed by NAB in the light of the Supreme Court's July 28 judgment in the Panama Papers case.
The accountability court hearing the corruption case against Ishaq Dar -- who is in London to receive medical treatment for his heart condition -- issued non-bailable warrant after the minister failed to appear in the court for the fourth time on November 14.
It may be mentioned here that on Wednesday, NAB had also re-opened investigations against Ishaq Dar in Hudaibiya Paper Mills reference in compliance with the orders of the apex court. Ishaq Dar had become an approver in Hudaibiya Paper Mills reference. After the quashment of the reference, investigations are being started against Ishaq Dar afresh as an accused.
NAB had filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the LHC decision, naming former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his brothers Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and late Abbas Sharif, their mother Shamim Akhter, Shahbaz Sharif's son and MNA Hamza Shahbaz, Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam and others as respondents.
It had pleaded the Supreme Court to dismiss the LHC decision to quash the case and order a re-investigation into the scam as per the new evidence, which surfaced in the Panama case Joint Investigation Team report.