SC fines NAB, rejects petition challenging IHC decision to hear Sharifs' plea

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court of Pakistan on Monday rejected a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) petition against Islamabad High Court’s decision to hear a plea filed by former premier Nawaz Sharif and his family members for suspension of their sentence in Avenfield case, ARY News reported.

During the hearing of the case, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar expressed displeasure over what he termed a “frivolous petition” filed by NAB and ordered the anti-graft authority to pay Rs 20,000 as fine.

The CJP directed the NAB prosecutor to submit the fine in the dams fund.

The CJP admonished the NAB Prosecutor Akram Qureshi for challenging the IHC’s decision and said that the IHC decision is in line with the mechanism.

NAB, in its petition, had requested the apex court to set aside the IHC’s September 10 decision to hear  the petitions seeking suspension of sentences awarded by an accountability court in Avenfield reference, filed by former PM Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz  and son-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar.

“What is illegal in the high court’s order?” asked the CJP.

PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif is serving jail time with his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retired) Safdar awarded in an accountability court verdict in Avenfield case.

The trio had filed a set of petitions in the IHC seeking suspension of sentences handed by the accountability court.