Former accountability judge Arshad Malik passes away due to coronavirus

Former accountability court judge Arshad Malik passed away due to the novel coronavirus on Friday, Geo News reported.

The ex-judge was receiving treatment at a private hospital in Islamabad for the past few days. Malik is survived by two sons and two daughters.

Who was Arshad Malik?

Malik had convicted former premier Nawaz Sharif in the Al Azizia and Hill Metal corruption references filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) following the Supreme Court's panamagate verdict. He acquitted Nawaz in the Flagship reference. 

In July 2019, PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz had released video and audio clips in which she had claimed Malik was allegedly confessing that he convicted Nawaz under 'duress'. 

In August 2019, Islamabad High Court suspended and repatriated Malik to the Lahore High Court, his parent department, and ordered further proceedings. A year later, an LHC administration committee approved removal of the sessions judge after he was found guilty of professional misconduct.