Accountability court reissues notices to Sharif Brothers

An accountability court on Saturday reissued notices to Sharif Brothers, the leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), in cases pertaining to reopening of three corruption references.

The court resumed began hearing of an application filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against two-time former premier, Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif.

The accountability bureau requested the court to reopen three cases including Hudaibiya Paper Mills, Assets Beyond Known Sources of Income and the Ittefaq Foundry (Wilful Loan Default).

Earlier on July 18, the court had issued notices to the PML-N leadership to respond to the NAB’s application for reopening the corruption references against them

PML-N’s lawyer Akram Sheikh during the course of hearing said that the Lahore High Court (LHC) had given stay order against these references, requesting accountability court to adjourn the hearing for indefinite period.

The counsel for the PML-N leadership argued that the bureau should offer apology over issuing notices to Sharif Brothers. Upon which, NAB’s lawyer said that the summon notices were sent by the court.

It is vital to mention here that proceedings in the cases were adjourned sine die by the accountability court in 2001 when the Sharif brothers were in exile. After their return to the country, the NAB filed an application in 2007 reopening the cases.

Although the application was accepted in 2010, the cases were adjourned sine die by the accountability court which directed that the trial could be commenced if an application signed by NAB’s chairman was submitted before the court.

NAB chief Admiral (Retd) Fasih Bokhari had submitted three applications in the accountability court seeking the reopening of three references against Sharif brothers and to contest the quashment petition which was filed by them in the LHC in October 2011.

He took this decision on the recommendation of a special committee, constituted by him under the supervision of the NAB prosecutor general.

While Bukhari sought revival of the cases, NAB continues to be indecisive about the fate of a reference submitted by Advisor to the Prime Minister on Interior, Rehman Malik, to it against the Sharif brothers in which he charged them with money laundering of $32 million.

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Posted by Faisal Farooq on Jul 28 2012. Filed under Pakistan, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.