Nawaz Sharif assures NAB officials of showing up in court tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: A team of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials on Thursday held a meeting with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif amid presence of his legal team at the Punjab House, where Sharif signed court summons and affirmed his presence in a hearing of three graft references in accountability court tomorrow (Friday).

On the occasion, a bail bond worth Rs1 million was also submitted by Sharif’s legal team.

Earlier today, the former premier arrived at Benazir Bhutto International Airport (BBIA) from London ahead of accountability court’s hearing into graft references on Nov 3 (tomorrow).

While proceeding to the VIP Rawal Lounge, the former premier held a brief meeting with the party leaders and government officials who had come to receive him.

Defence Production Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, Aviation Adviser Mushahidullah Khan and Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique were among the party leaders who were there to receive Sharif.

There were reports that the NAB officials would hold a meeting with Sharif at airport to hand summon notification over  to him for the accountability proceedings tomorrow (Friday).

However, the anti-graft body later on Thursday served him court summons at Punjab House in Islamabad.

In a letter to the airport authorities, the anti-corruption watchdog had earlier sought access to the flight of former PM Nawaz Sharif as an accountability court had issued bailable arrest warrants for Sharif.

Sharif has been in London due to the frail health of his wife Kulsoom Nawaz who is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer treatment. He along with his daughter Maryam Nawaz and her husband retired captain Safdar have been indicted in three corruption references.

On Tuesday, the ousted PM – in a brief media interaction – had weighed in on much-discussed ‘minus-Nawaz formula’ and asserted that the nation has to make a decision not the individuals.

Few individuals cannot decide the fate of the masses by making such decisions, Sharif remarked then.

‘Rifts in Sharif family’

Rifts in Sharif family over taking the reins of party have recently caught the media limelight after Nawaz Sharif’s ouster in landmark Panamagate verdict of the Supreme Court, announced on July 28. However, the party officials have been rejecting such reports.

On Oct 30, the bigwigs of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) went into huddle in London with the former premier, where they expressed confidence on Sharif and reiterated their support.

Sources said the moot decided that any attempt aimed at executing minus-Nawaz formula or any action in contrast to the constitution would not be acceptable to the party leaders and workers.

It was further decided that the party will avoid any confrontation with state institutions. No one except the elder Sharif and brother Shahbaz Sharif will give statements on policy matters. The party leadership decided that the Sharif family will face corruption cases, sources claimed.