Court seeks another extension to wind up Sharif's corruption references

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Friday sought another extension from the Supreme Court to wrap-up the under trial two corruption references against Nawaz Sharif, ARY NEWS reported.

Judge Arshad Malik in his letter to the registrar of the apex court stated, “the ongoing trial against Nawaz Sharif in Al-Azizia and Flagship Investment references is near to its end. It is not possible to complete the trial as per the deadline given by the top court thus more time should be granted.”

“The suspect is recording his statement in the Al-Azizia reference, while arguments are being conducted on the last witness’s statement in the Flagship Investment reference”, reads the letter

The Supreme Court earlier on October 12 granted 6th extension to the accountability court to complete the trial against former premier Nawaz Sharif in the two corruption references.

A bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had granted the sixth and last extension in the trial period of Nawaz Sharif.

The chief justice, while granting six week’s extension, had said this is the last extension for the accountability judge to wind up the trial proceedings. If the matter was not decided within the deadline, the judge would be held responsible, he warned.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed three references against the Sharif family in the light of the July 28, 2017 verdict that disqualified Nawaz Sharif from the office of prime minister.

A reference pertaining to the Sharif family’s Avenfield properties in London has been decided while Al-Azizia and Flagship Investment references are pending disposal.

On July 6, an accountability court had sentenced Nawaz to a total of eleven years in prison and imposed a £8 million fine in the corruption reference. His daughter Maryam was sentenced to eight years with a £2 million fine while his son in law retired Captain Safdar was given a one-year sentence.