NAB DG issued notice over delay in filing of references against Sharif

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in the federal capital on Tuesday expressed displeasure over the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for delay in the filing of supplementary references against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investment cases.

Judge Muhammad Bashir issued a notice to the NAB director general to come up with an explanation as to why the bureau has failed to file the references as yet.

He was irked when a NAB prosecutor sought more time to file the references against Sharif.

The prosecutor said two supplementary references against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif were ready and will be filed at the earliest.

Last week, the bureau had served a notice to the former premier to appear before it to record his statement in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investment cases. However, he didn’t turn up.

Sharif along with his sons-Hussain and Hassan – has been named in three NAB references, while his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law have been nominated in a reference with regard to the Sharif family’s London-based Avenfield properties.

The references were filed in compliance with the Supreme Court’s July 28 verdict last year.

The bureau had earlier filed a supplementary reference against the former premier and members of his family in the Avenfield properties case.