Avenfield appeal: IHC asks NAB to prove Nawaz Sharif owns London flats

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday asked the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to prove former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is owner of Avenfield flats, ARY News reported.

The IHC heard pleas of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz and Captain (retired) Safdar against their sentences in Avenfield reference.

NAB prosecutor Usman Cheema opposed the pleas of Maryam Nawaz and Captain retired Safdar and said the court rejected Nawaz’s plea on June 23, 2021 and in its verdict said that the former premier was given the chance of a fair trial.

Maryam Nawaz and Safdar Awan were sentenced for assisting Nawaz Sharif in buying properties in London.

To this, the court said Nawaz Sharif’s appeal was not rejected on merit but was rejected after he become an absconder in the case.

The bench of Justice Aamir Farooq and Mohsin Kiyani asked the NAB prosecutor to prove that Avenfield apartments are property of Nawaz Sharif.

First prove that flats are property of Nawaz Sharif and only then case of assisting against Maryam Nawaz can be made, the judge remarked. “We cannot carry on the case on assumptions,” Justice Aamir Farooq added.

Read more: IHC suspends Avenfield ruling, sets free Nawaz, Maryam, Safdar

Justice Farooq asked the NAB prosecutor to submit evidence against the graft-buster body proved the connection of properties with Nawaz Sharif in the trial court.

NAB prosecutor said Nawaz Sharif took a clear stance in the Supreme Court in the case. The IHC bench asked has he [Nawaz Sharif] ever said the properties are owned by him?

On the argument of NAB prosecutor that Nawaz Sharif is living in the same apartments in London, the high court remarked half of Pakistanis are living in other’s homes.

The IHC directed the NAB to present title document of Nelson and Nescol and adjourned the hearing until September 29.

The case background

An accountability court on July 6, 2018, sentenced former premier Nawaz Sharif to a total of 10 years in prison and directed him to pay a fine of £8 million after finding him guilty on different charges in the Avenfield properties case.

Judge Muhammad Bashir had handed out seven-year imprisonment to the former premier’s daughter Maryam Nawaz and a fine of £2 million. While her husband Safdar was awarded one year’s jail term.