IHC requested to separately hear appeals of Sharif family

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday was requested to separately hear the appeals of the Sharif family members in the event of the absence of Nawaz Sharif.

The IHC was hearing appeals against the PMLN supremo Nawaz Sharif, Vice President Maryam Nawaz and her husband Capt (R) Muhammad Safdar Awan in Al-Azizia, Avenfield and Flagship references. A two-member bench of IHC comprising Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani was hearing the petitions.

The PMLN counsel Azam Nazir Tarar said if the court heard Nawaz’s appeal in his absence, it would be the wastage of the court’s time. He argued that his appeal could be adjourned. But the appeals of the co-accused could be heard by separating their petitions from the petition of Nawaz’s appeal. Tarar informed the court that there were judicial precedents in which the appeals of the co-accused were heard separately. He argued that with these appeals the judge's video scandal and other matters were also attached. He said that it might happen tomorrow that Nawaz would claim that his case was a video scandal.

Tarar said he had requested some copies of judgements from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Karachi and he would present his further arguments during next hearing. Justice Amir Farooq said that before this court, appeals of two other co-accused were also pending.

Justice Kiyani told Tarar that his point of view was that the court had to face the criticism. He said whatever the decision; one party would definitely criticise it. Justice Amir Farooq said the appeals of two co-accused in these could not be kept pending. Tarar said if the court felt at any stage that it could not hear separate appeals, then it could adjourn the hearing.