Islamabad High Court Dismisses Nawaz Sharif's Appeals, Reinstates Sentences in Avonfield and Azizia References

Islamabad High Court dismisses Nawaz Sharif's appeals, reinstates sentences in Avonfield and Azizia references

 

 Islamabad High Court dismisses Nawaz Sharif's appeals,

 ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has dismissed appeals filed against the conviction of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Azizia and Avonfield references.

 A two-judge bench of the High Court said in its decision that if Nawaz Sharif surrenders or the authorities arrest him and present him before the court, his appeal can be heard. However, Nawaz Sharif has lost his right to be heard as a fugitive.

 The court has fixed for hearing the appeals of Nawaz Sharif's daughter and PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz and her husband Captain (retd) Safdar.

 Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani of the Islamabad High Court, while delivering the reserved judgment yesterday, dismissed the appeals against the sentence in Nawaz Sharif's Azizia reference and Avonfield reference.

 The nine-page written decision to dismiss the appeals against Nawaz Sharif's sentence said that Nawaz Sharif had the opportunity to have a transparent trial and cross-examination of prosecution witnesses. Sentenced after a formal trial. He went out on bail and did not return.

 The court said that he was absent during the hearing of the appeals without any reason or justification on which he was declared a fugitive as per law. Nawaz Sharif has lost his right to be heard as a fugitive. Therefore, there is no other option but to dismiss the appeals before the court.

 The decision said that Nawaz Sharif could surrender before the court and appeal for reinstatement on his arrest. Whenever Nawaz Sharif files an application for reinstatement of the appeal, it will be decided according to the law.

 The accountability court on July 6, 2018, in its Avonfield reference, sentenced Nawaz Sharif to 10 years, Maryam Nawaz to seven years and Capt (R) Safdar to one year in prison. On December 24, 2018, Nawaz Sharif was sentenced to seven years in prison in the Azizia reference.

 Nawaz Sharif had filed appeals in the Islamabad High Court against the sentence in the Azizia reference and the Avonfield reference, but he has not appeared before the court since he went abroad. Nawaz Sharif was issued several summons notices and declared non-appearance.

 His lawyers argued that Nawaz Sharif's health did not allow him to leave his treatment abroad and appear in court in Pakistan. Therefore, the hearing should be continued in their absence. Meanwhile, the NAB had requested to dismiss Nawaz Sharif's appeals.

 The Islamabad Accountability Court had on December 24, 2018 sentenced Nawaz Sharif to seven years imprisonment in the Azizia reference and issued a detailed 131-page judgment stating that Nawaz Sharif has proved to be the real owner of Azizia and Hill Metal. However, he failed to provide a legitimate source of income for the assets.

 Nawaz Sharif's lawyers had challenged the decision in the Islamabad High Court.

 

Islamabad High Court: What are the Panama references against Nawaz Sharif? 

 On September 8, 2017, three references against Nawaz Sharif and his children, Azizia Reference, Flagship Reference and Avonfield Reference, were filed. Among them, Azizia was indicted on October 19, 2017 and Nawaz Sharif in the flagship reference on October 20.

 Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain Safdar were convicted of owning London Avonfield Apartments.

 Nawaz Sharif filed an appeal against these sentences in the Islamabad High Court, where in September 2018, in the Avonfield reference, the sentences of the three were suspended by the Islamabad High Court.

 Later on December 24, 2018, in the Azizia reference, Nawaz Sharif was sentenced to seven years in prison. The court had acquitted Nawaz Sharif in the flagship reference.

 In Panama References, Nawaz Sharif was accused of not disclosing sources of income for flats worth crores of rupees in Avonfield and money laundering.

 In references filed against Nawaz Sharif, the NAB had alleged that the former prime minister had built anonymous properties in the names of his sons Hassan and Hussain Nawaz during his tenure as chief minister and prime minister. While the children were under his care during this time.

 The Sharif family is of the view that Azizia Steel Mills was bought with Qatari investment and Hassan Nawaz was also provided capital for the business by a Qatari businessman who formed a flagship company. All property is in the names of children and Nawaz Sharif has nothing to do with it.

In the flagship reference, Nawaz Sharif maintained that the reference was made on the biased report of the opponents and JIT and the prosecution would fail to bring evidence against them.

Islamabad High Court: Further hearing date fixed

Although Nawaz Sharif's sentences have been reinstated by the Islamabad High Court in these references, the appeals of Maryam Nawaz and Capt. (Retd) Safdar, who were convicted along with Nawaz Sharif in the Avonfield reference, will be heard on July 6.

 Reacting to the decision of the Islamabad High Court, Minister of State for Information Farrukh Habib said that Nawaz Sharif was sentenced after a full trial. Nawaz Sharif has no option but to come back and go to jail.