Two ex-PMs enjoy permanent exemption

ISLAMABAD: While an accountability court has refused the request of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for a week’s exemption from personal appearance, the same court has granted permanent exemption to two other former prime ministers facing corruption charges.

Nawaz Sharif, who was in London to visit his ailing wife Kulsoom Nawaz, had filed an appeal for exemption from personal appearance but the accountability court No 1 in Islamabad rejected Nawaz’ request only granting him exemption for one-day (Friday, April 20).

On the contrary, the accountability courts had been more lenient towards two other former prime ministers -- Yusuf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf -- who were granted permanent exemption from appearing in graft case hearings.

Pakistan People’s Party’s former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf is facing eight references in accountability courts in Rental Power Plant (RPP) corruption cases worth billions of rupees.

On his first appearance before Judge Muhammad Bashir of Accountability Court 1, Pervaiz Ashraf applied for exemption from personal appearance on two grounds. Firstly he said he deserved such exemption being a former prime minister of the country. Secondly, he citied security concerns related to his appearance in court.

Accepting his grounds, Judge Muhammad Bashir granted him permanent exemption on first hearing and allowed him to contest the case through his counsel Amjad Iqbal.

Similarly, former PPP prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani is facing corruption trial in accountability court No 2 in connection with NAB reference on illegal appointment of Tauqir Sadiq, former chairman of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority. (Ogra). Gilani also applied for exemption on first hearing citing similar ground of security and being former prime minister. The court granted him permanent exemption accepting the grounds. He is now contesting the case through his lawyer Farooq H Naek.

However Nawaz Sharif, who is also a three-time former prime minister, could not get similar treatment. Defending the court’s fresh decision, a NAB official said Nawaz Sharif case could not be equated with PPP’s former prime ministers as Panama case has been referred by the Supreme Court in its landmark decision.

The Supreme Court had also appointed Justice Ijazul Ahsan as monitoring judge to supervise NAB proceedings in corruption references against Nawaz Sharif and the members of his family.

Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz, two sons — Hussain and Hassan are the prime accused in a case concerning their alleged acquisition of properties in London through unfair means.

The case is known as the Avenfield properties reference. While departing for London, Maryam Nawaz had promised to return for accountability court hearings if not granted an exemption by the court.

Earlier, NAB had asked the interior ministry to put on the ECL the names of Nawaz Sharif, his children — Maryam, Hassan and Hussain — and his son-in-law, Capt (R) Muhammad Safdar. However so far the ministry has not placed any of these names on the ECL (Exit Control List).