Nawaz Sharif acquitted in Avenfield reference

ISLAMABAD: In a major relief for the PML-N, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday acquitted former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the Avenfield reference, ARY News reported.

A two-member bench comprising IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb announced the verdict on Nawaz’s appeal against his conviction in the case.

Talking to journalists outside the court after the IHC’s verdict which acquitted him, Nawaz said that he had left his matter up to Allah.

“I had left it up to Allah. In Al-Azizia [Steel Mills corruption reference] also, I’ve also left my matters up to Allah.”

Convictions

Nawaz Sharif was convicted by accountability courts in Avenfield and Al-Azizia references.

The accountability court had awarded a 10-year jail term with eight million Pounds fine to Nawaz Sharif in the Avenfield case and 07 years sentence in Al-Azizia reference. He was also fined Rs1.5 billion and US$25 million.

The court also disqualified Sharif for holding public office for 10 years.

However, in 2019, his sentence in Al-Azizia reference was suspended by the Lahore High Court (LHC) on medical grounds. He was then permitted to fly to London on medical grounds.

The IHC had declared him a proclaimed offender in both cases in December 2020.

After returning from the exlie in UK, the PML-N leader had filed two separate applications seeking the restoration of his appeals against his conviction in both the references.