Nawaz Sharif's plea for merging three references into one on Dec 4

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) will pronounce its verdict on a plea of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif seeking the merger of all the references filed against him into one on December 04.

Sharif had approached the high court, challenging the accountability court’s Nov 8 verdict that rejected his request to merge the references against him into one to conduct a joint trial.

A bench, comprising Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Naqvi, reserved the verdict after hearing arguments from the Sharif’s lawyer and the prosecutor of National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB).

The bench set December 4 for pronouncement of the verdict and issued notices to the parties involved in the case to ensure their presence on the day.

On Nov 8, the accountability court’s Judge Muhammad Bashir rejected the Sharif’s application for joint trial and formally framed charges against him in each of the three references.

The three references related to the Sharif family’s London flats, Flagship Investment Ltd and Al Azizia & Hill Metal Establishment.

The former prime minister rejected all corruption charges while pleading not guilty and opted to contest them.

Verdict on Sharif's plea for merging three references into one to be announced on Dec 4