NAB concludes arguments in Flagship corruption reference

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) concluded its final arguments in the Flagship Investment corruption reference against former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.

The Accountability Court-II Judge, Arshad Malik, on Tuesday resumed the hearing. Nawaz’s counsel Khawaja Haris has already concluded his arguments. The NAB prosecutor argued that three chances were given to the accused in the Supreme Court, the JIT and then the accountability court but he didn’t appear before the NAB. The judge directed the NAB and defence counsel for Nawaz to give additional arguments on the Supreme Court’s decision in the references on Wednesday (today).

Haris will present additional documents in the flagship reference before the court. The Supreme Court has directed the accountability court to conclude corruption references against Sharif family till December 24.

Meanwhile, the judge reprimanded PML-N leaders Tariq Fazal Chaudhary and Marriyum Aurangzeb for making noise in the court. The judge summoned them on the rostrum as they were talking and creating noise during the hearing. The judge remarked, “I was thinking some illiterate people were making noise but someone told me that you are educated,” the judge said while pointing to the PML-N leaders. “Don’t you have respect for the court,” he asked. The judge directed that people having nothing to do with the case should leave the court. Subsequently, Marriyum Aurangzeb left the court.

Talking to the media at the accountability court, Nawaz expressed regrets for the attack on a TV cameraman by his security guards. Nawaz said his chief security guard was clearing the path for him when he pushed the cameraman out of the way. “I objected to the way the cameraman was pushed out of the way, and then the cameraman hit the guard’s forehead with his camera and he started bleeding,” Nawaz said. Nawaz Sharif further said he did not know what happened afterwards as he was leaving.