Sharif family asks to make accountability court party to Avenfield petition

ISLAMABAD: The Sharif family on Friday pleaded the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to allow them to make the accountability court party to their petition challenging their conviction in Avenfield properties corruption reference.

The legal counsels of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar submitted petitions in IHC asking to make the accountability court party to their plea against the conviction.

The IHC is hearing the Sharifs’ petition challenging their conviction in Avenfield reference, under which Nawaz has been sentenced to a total of 11 years in prison, his daughter Maryam to eight years and her husband Safdar to one year in prison. The accountability court which announced the sentences on July 6, also slapped £8 million fine on Nawaz and £2 million fine on Maryam.

IHC orders Safdar’s lawyer to make accountability court party to petition

The hearing was adjourned till Monday, when the IHC will also hear Maryam and Nawaz's petition against conviction in the Avenfield case

The Sharifs are serving their respective sentences at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.

Their appeal against Avenfield conviction highlights legal flaws in the judgement and asks for the accountability court's verdict to be declared null and void and the three convicts to be released on bail.

IHC bench to be re-constituted 

The Islamabad High Court bench hearing the Sharifs' petition against Avenfield conviction will be re-constituted as Justice Aamer Farooq is leaving for summer holidays, Geo News reported. 

The two-member bench comprised of Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb. 

The registrar office has referred the matter to Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar.