Islamabad High Court Hears Nawaz Sharif's Al-Azizia Appeal on Merit
Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday heard the appeal of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif against his conviction in the Al-Azizia reference on merit. This decision came after Sharif's lawyers urged the court to decide the case based on the evidence presented, rather than remanding it back to the accountability court.
Sharif's lawyer, Amjad Pervez, argued that the former Prime Minister was not a public office holder when the Al-Azizia Steel Mill was registered in Saudi Arabia in 2001 and therefore cannot be held accountable for any alleged wrongdoing.
Pervez further claimed that the prosecution failed to prove that Hussain Nawaz, Sharif's son, was under his patronage and therefore could not be held liable for the alleged corruption. He also argued that the children involved in the Avenfield case were underage at the time of the alleged offenses.
The NAB prosecutor, however, raised the issue of the video scandal involving the accountability court judge who convicted Sharif, Arshad Malik. He argued that the video cast doubt on the fairness of the trial and that the case should be remanded back to the accountability court for a retrial.
Nawaz Sharif's lawyers, however, informed the court that they no longer wish to pursue the application related to the video scandal, stating that Judge Malik is no longer alive and it is not appropriate to discuss the matter further.
The court provided two options to Sharif's lawyers: either they could decide the case on merit themselves or they could remand it back to the accountability court for a retrial. After discussions, Sharif's lawyer, Azam Nazir Tarar, requested the court to decide the appeal on merit, arguing that the court has already decided two similar appeals and that remanding the case could unnecessarily delay the process.
The NAB prosecutor, however, requested the court to annul the previous decision and remand the case back, stating that it would be difficult to prove their case now that Judge Malik is deceased.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court has reserved its decision. It is unclear when the court will announce its decision.
