Thoshakhana reference: Court orders seizing of Nawaz properties

ISLAMABAD: In Thoshakhana reference, the accountability court on Thursday ordered to seize properties and assets of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) official submitted complete record of Nawaz Sharif’s assets including cars and bank accounts in the Accountability Court. Judge Syed Asghar Ali passed the order to seize properties. During hearing, the NAB officials told the court that the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif owned over 1,650 canal agricultural land, Mercedes, Land Cruiser and two tractors. He also owned a bungalow in Murree and 102-canal agricultural land in Sheikhupura district. The NAB further told the court that Nawaz Sharif got a car from Thoshakhana without any application in 2008 when he was not holding any public office.

Earlier, the court had declared Nawaz Sharif a proclaimed offender for continuously being absent from the court. Former president Asif Ali Zardari and ex-PM Yousaf Raza Gilani are already indicted in the Toshakhana reference.

Asif Ali Zardari, Nawaz Sharif and Yusuf Raza Gilani were accused of using special gifts given by the foreign dignitaries and not returning the same to the state.

According to NAB, Asif Ali Zardari had paid only 15 percent cost of the cars by using his fake accounts. Libya and United Arab Emirates (UAE) also gifted him cars when he was serving as president and he allegedly used these cars for his personal work instead of submitting them to Toshakhana.