AC judge adjourns Al-Azizia case hearing owing to Kulsoom Nawaz's demise

ISLAMABAD: Accountability Court judge Muhammad Arshad Malik adjourned the hearing of Al-Azizia reference without any proceedings, citing the death of former first lady Begum Kulsoom Nawaz. 

“It is not appropriate to carry out proceedings today; Kulsoom Nawaz was a great personality,” the judge observed.

The hearing of the graft case against former premier Nawaz Sharif commenced on its scheduled time under the supervision of judge Muhammad Arshad Malik.

Nawaz’s legal counsel Khawaja Haris appeared before the court to inform that his client is in Lahore due to the demise of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, hence, “I could not take the instructions from Nawaz Sharif about the case proceeding.”

Defense counsel apprised the court that funeral prayers of late Kulsoom Nawaz will be offered on Friday and for that reason “I will be unable to present before the court.”

On which, the accountability judge instructed Khawaja Haris to cross examine the witness on Thursday and announced to not conduct the hearing on Friday.

Subsequently, the hearing was adjourned until tomorrow without any proceedings.

A day earlier, the accountability court had adjourned hearing of Al-Azizia/Hill Metal Establishment case against former premier Nawaz Sharif till Wednesday (today) after failure of Sharif’s lawyer Khawaja Haris to turn up in the court.

Kulsoom Nawaz breathed her last in London on Tuesday, will have two separate funerals, one in London and other in Raiwind before her burial. Leader of Opposition in National Assembly, Shehbaz Sharif is expected to fly back to home from London with the coffin of his sister in law on Friday.

The late MNA’s funeral prayers will be offered in London’s Regent Park Islamic Center on Thursday after which Shehbaz Sharif will fly back to Lahore with her coffin.

Before burial, funeral prayers will be offered at Sharif family’s residence in Raiwind.