Al-Azizia, Flagship hearing adjourned for a third time without headway

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Friday again adjourned the hearing of Al-Azizia and Flagship references against Sharif family for a third time without making any progress.

The hearing of corruption references involving former premier Nawaz Sharif and his sons was adjourned until August 7.

The reason behind a third consecutive adjournment of cases without any proceeding is judge Muhammad Bashir’s decision to put off the hearing, unless the Islamabad High Court (IHC) announces its verdict on the Sharif family’s plea for transfer of both the cases to another accountability court.

Nawaz Sharif had petitioned Islamabad High Court (IHC) to transfer Al-Azizia and Flagship cases from judge Muhammad Bashir to another accountability judge citing that the judge had already given his verdict in Avenfield case against Sharif family, hence the impartiality of court proceeding may get affected, if the same judge adjudicates remaining references .

A day earlier, a bench of IHC comprising Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Gul Hasan Aurangzaib heard Nawaz’s appeal of transferring the cases to another accountability court.

The accountability court had earlier rejected the request of transferring references to another accountability court.

On July 6, the three-time prime minister was sentenced to 10 years in prison by accountability judge Muhammad Bashir in the Avenfield case while his daughter and son-in-law to seven years and one year’s jail term, respectively.

Accountability Judge Muhammad Bashir also ordered forfeiture of their properties in the Avenfield Apartments and Park Lane of London. He imposed a fine of £8 million (approximately Rs1,292m) on the former premier and £2 million (approximately Rs323m) on his daughter.

Besides, three convicts were awarded an additional one-year imprisonment, which will run concurrently for not cooperating with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).