Nawaz seeks delay in announcement of Avenfield reference verdict

ISLAMABAD: Deposed premier Nawaz Sharif on Thursday requested the accountability court to defer the announcement of verdict in the Avenfield properties case against him for a few days so that he could return to the country to hear it in his presence in the courtroom.

Nawaz’s counsel Zafir Khan submitted a request in Accountability Court-I today. The request mentions that the former premier and his daughter Maryam Nawaz want the verdict to be read out while they are present in the courtroom.

The application also cited the reason of Nawaz and Maryam’s stay in London since June 14 owing to the illness of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz.

The registrar office sent the request to Accountability Court-II Judge Irshad Malik since Accountability Court-I Judge Mohammad Bashir is on leave. However, judge Irshad refuse to entertain the plea after which it will be heard tomorrow by Judge Bashir.

The accountability court on Tuesday reserved its verdict in the Avenfield reference filed against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif and members of his family. The verdict is due to announce tomorrow (July 6).

Speaking to reporters in London on Wednesday, the PML-N leader said that he would return to the country once the condition of his wife Kusloom Nawaz, who is on a ventilator at a hospital there, gets better.

His request to postpone the pronouncement of the verdict reinforces the impression that he has no plans to fly back to the country in a day or two to appear in court as he has been given two-day exemption from personal appearance on Tuesday.

Sharif said he is a public representative and won’t fret nor will he display cowardice in the face of hardships.

His wife has been on life-support machines for the past 21 days and underwent a medical procedure, he added. He stressed that the decision should be deferred as it won’t undermine justice.