IHC tosses out Nawaz’s appeals in corruption cases

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday dismissed two appeals of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif against his imprisonment sentences in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Avenfield property references.

The court also upheld the decisions of the accountability court in Islamabad, which handed 10 and seven year jail terms in Avenfield property and Al-Azizia Steel Mills references, respectively.

The court order read: “Since appellant is fugitive from law, hence has lost his right of audience before this court and we are left with no choice except to dismiss his appeals. The instant appeal is dismissed. Appellant may file an application before this court, as and when he surrenders or is captured by the authorities, for decision of the appeal on merits. Needless to observe that the said application, if and when is made, shall be decided in accordance with law.”

A division bench of the IHC, comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhter Kiyani, issued a nine-page judgment, after the bench had reserved its ruling after listening to arguments from the NAB prosecutor and amicus curiae in the previous hearing.

The court order said: “The appellant was provided fair trial and now has absconded from justice at the time of hearing of appeal. Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was provided a fair trial inasmuch as learned trial court provided him opportunity of hearing as well as cross-examining the prosecution witnesses and only after the proper trial, his conviction was recorded; he despite being on bail, proceeded abroad and did not appear before this court and without any justification, remained absent on a number of dates.

“Hence this court was left with no option but to follow the procedure as provided in Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 and declare him as fugitive from law.”

The former prime minister was sentenced a total of 10 years in prison and slapped with an £8 million fine (Rs1.3 billion) in the Avenfield properties reference, while the trial court sentenced him to seven years along with Rs1.5 billion and $25 million fines in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference.

The former prime minister had filed appeals in the IHC against the decision of the accountability court. The IHC had suspended the verdict in Avenfield property reference and later granted bail to Nawaz Sharif in Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference allowing him to travel abroad for medical treatment.

However, the accused skipped multiple hearings and did not surrender despite repeated court notices. Subsequently, the IHC declared Nawaz Sharif a fugitive on continuous lack of appearance and now finally dismissed his appeals.