NAB likely to file references against Sharif family this week

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is likely to file this week references against disqualified prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his children, son-in-law and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in compliance with the Supreme Court judgment in Panamagate case.

Quoting sources, ARY News reported, the chairman of the national anti-graft watchdog will preside over a meeting tomorrow at its headquarters in Islamabad to give go-ahead to filing of references against the Sharif family.

The sources said the chairman may defer the filing of the references provided that any lacunas were found in them. Following the approval by the NAB chairman, they will be filed in accountability courts.

Earlier, NAB Lahore had dispatched two references against Sharif family and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to its headquarters for a final review and approval before filing them in accountability court.

Sources had said a reference against the Sharif family was also forwarded to the headquarters, recommending seizure of Sharif family’s offshore properties, freezing bank accounts, and placing family members name on Exit Control List (ECL).

It should be recalled here that a five-judge bench of Supreme Court of Pakistan on July 28 announced a judgment in Panamagate case, disqualifying Nawaz Sharif as Prime Minister.

Soon after the SC judgement, the PM House issued a terse statement saying that Nawaz Sharif, despite having reservations on the court verdict, has stepped down from his post as the premier.

Sharif served as prime minister twice in the 1990s before he was ousted in a 1999 coup leading to a decade of exile. He won a third term as prime minister in May 2013 general election.

Under the court orders, the NAB was tasked to file references against Nawaz Sharif, his children – Hassan and Hussain Nawaz, Maryam Nawaz, her spouse retired Capt Muhammad Safdar as well as Ishaq Dar.

The anti-graft body had summoned members of Sharif family to appear before it’s investigators in connection with probe into the family’s London flats multiple times but they failed to show up time and again.