Nawaz Sharif acquitted in Al-Azizia steel mills case: High Court dismisses NAB's appeal

Islamabad, The Islamabad High Court acquitted former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference. The court declared the trial court's sentence null and void, effectively clearing Sharif's name in the case.
The verdict was delivered by a two-judge bench consisting of Chief Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb. Sharif's lawyer, Amjad Pervez, argued that the prosecution failed to prove any evidence linking Sharif to the alleged corruption.
During the hearing, NAB prosecutor admitted that there was no documentary evidence against Sharif regarding the ownership of Al-Azizia Steel Mills. The prosecutor also conceded that the key witness, Wajid Zia, had admitted the lack of evidence against Sharif.
Amjad Pervez further argued that the trial court relied on inadmissible evidence, such as Hussain Nawaz's TV interview and Nawaz Sharif's speech in the National Assembly. He stressed that the prosecution failed to prove the burden of proof and shift it to Sharif.
Justice Aurangzeb acknowledged the observations made by the Supreme Court in the Arshad Malik case, which led to the judge's removal from office due to misconduct. He questioned why Sharif's lawyers were not accepting NAB's offer of a "discount" in the case.
Chief Justice Farooq rejected NAB's request to remand the Al-Azizia reference for further investigation. He also noted that the previous judge of the accountability court had refused to hear the case.
The acquittal of Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case is a significant development in Pakistan's political landscape. It clears the way for Sharif to potentially contest in upcoming elections, although his disqualification from holding public office remains in effect due to his conviction in the Avenfield reference.