Nawaz moves IHC to transfer Al-Azizia, Flagship cases to another judge

ISLAMABAD: Deposed premier Nawaz Sharif appealed in Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday to transfer remaining references of Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investment from the accountability court judge Muhammad Bashir to another accountability judge.

On behalf of Nawaz Shairf, his legal counsel Khawaja Haris filed the appeal in IHC pleading that Judge Muhammad Bashir had already announced the verdict in Avenfield reference, thus other remaining references should be transferred from him to a new accountability judge.

The accountability court had earlier rejected this request of transferring references to another accountability court.

On July 6, the three-time prime minister was sentenced to 10 years in prison by accountability judge Muhammad Bashir in the Avenfield case while his daughter and son-in-law to seven years and one year’s jail term, respectively.

Accountability Judge Muhammad Bashir ordered forfeiture of their properties in the Avenfield Apartments and Park Lane of London. He imposed a fine of £8 million (approximately Rs1,292m) on the former premier and £2 million (approximately Rs323m) on his daughter.

Besides, three convicts were awarded an additional one-year imprisonment, which will run concurrently for not cooperating with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).