LHC nullifies accountability court's verdict against Nusrat Shehbaz

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has nullified the verdict of the accountability court for declaring the wife of Shehbaz Sharif, Nusrat Shehbaz, a proclaimed offender in Sharif family money laundering case, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

A two-member bench of LHC headed by Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar heard the petition filed by Nusrat Shehbaz to challenge the issuance of arrest warrants by the accountability court after rejecting her plea for a permanent exemption from the court appearance in money laundering case.

The verdict was annulled by the LHC and directed appointment a pleader of Nusrat Shehbaz. The LHC issued directives to Nusrat to attend court proceedings after recovering her health. It further stated that the pleader will be bound to inform her about the court proceedings.

Read: Nusrat Shehbaz’s plea seeking permanent exemption from court appearance rejected

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor said that the institution will not argue on the petition filed by Nusrat on some condition if her pleader would appear before the court in the hearings and she would appear by herself as well after health recovery.

Nusrat’s counsel said that her client has no objections to it.

Later, the high court wrapped up the petition and directed to appoint pleader of Nusrat Shehbaz after nullifying the accountability court’s verdict.

Earlier in January, Nusrat Shehbaz had challenged the accountability court’s verdict in the Lahore High Court (LHC) in which she stated that the petition was filed to nullify the ruling for rejection of her exemption plea and issuance of arrest warrants.

Read: Proclamation notice summoning Nusrat Shehbaz displayed outside court

She had stated in her petition that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) court had rejected both of her pleas. Nusrat Shehbaz added that she was residing in a foreign country for medical treatment for a long time prior to the approval of the NAB’s investigation and filing of the reference.

It further stated that the petitioner is suffering from different disease and currently receiving medical treatment abroad which stops her to arrive in the country for appearing in the hearings.

Nusrat had pleaded the high court to nullify the verdict of the NAB court besides overturning the decision of the issuance of arrest warrants against her.