The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday reserved verdict in case pertaining to the Sharif’s family’s appeals challenging their conviction in the Avenfield reference by the accountability court.
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A division bench of the IHC comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb resumed hearing in the appeals of Sharif family today seeking suspension of their conviction in Avenfield reference. In today’s proceedings, the court reserved the verdict in on the appeals filed by Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Captain (r) Safdar against their sentences. Justice Athar Minallah remarked that a appropriate order will be announced.
Petition Filed in IHC
Previously, the former prime minister, his daughter, and son-in-law had filed the appeals in the IHC challenging the Accountability Court (AC)’s verdict in the Avenfield reference and made the state through Chairman, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as respondent. In the appeals, it was stated that Nawaz Sharif was convicted under Section 9 (a)(v) of NAO, 1999, and Serial No.2 of the Schedule to the NAO, 1999, and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for a term of ten years, and to fine of 8 Million pounds under Section 10 of the NAO, 1999 for the offence under Section 9 (a)(v) of the NAO, and to one year imprisonment for the offence at Serial No.2 of the Schedule of the NAO, 1999, with stipulation that both the sentences shall run concurrently.
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The pertitions added that Maryam Safdar was convicted under Section 9 (a)(v) and (xii) of the NAO, 1999 and for the offence at Serial No.2 of the Schedule to the NAO, 1999, and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for seven years with fine of 2 Million pounds under Section 10 of the NAO, 1999 for the offence under Section 9 (a)(v) and (xii) ibid, and to one year simple imprisonment for offence at Serial No.2 of the Schedule to the NAO, 1999, with stipulation that both sentences shall run concurrently. Similarly, Capt (r) Muhammad Safdar was convicted for offences under Section 9 (a)(v) (xii) read with Section 10 of the NAO, 1999, and for the offence at Serial No.2 of the Schedule of NAO, 1999, and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for one year under Section p (a)(v)(xii) read with Section10 of the NAO, 1999, and to one year under Serial No.2 of the Schedule attached with NAO, 1999.
Convicted and sentenced
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It is to be mentioned here that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Captain Safdar were convicted and sentenced to prison in absentia for ten years, seven years and one year respectively, in Avenfield verdict that is likely to further disrupt an already chaotic campaign for national elections this month. Maryam Nawaz and Captain (r) Safdar, who were candidates for the forthcoming general elections were also disqualified from contesting elections for 10 years each. The sentence and a fine of 8 million pounds, or $10.6 million, came almost a year after Supreme Court removed Sharif from office and less than five months after the court barred him from holding office for life. Nawaz Sharif was convicted under section 9(a)(5) of the NAB ordinance. The case stemmed from the Panama Papers leak that disclosed expensive and undeclared property owned by the Sharif family in London.
