Islamabad (Staff Report): The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday granted the accountability court six more weeks to conclude the Al Azizia and Flagship corruption references against the Sharif family.
The court also directed Accountability Judge Mohammad Arshad Malik to submit a progress report of the case to the apex court on weekly basis.
A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Umar Atta Bandial and Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan heard the plea seeking an extension in the deadline.
The counsel for Sharif family, Khawaja Haris had asked for a three months time to conclude the references pertaining to the Al Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investment filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
However, the apex court turned down the plea and set a six weeks time to conclude the references filed in line with the top court’s verdict in the Panama Papers Case.
‘We don’t want to interfere in the proceedings of the accountability court, however, the time sought for extension is too much which cannot be granted,’ remarked the chief justice.
On the other hand, the former premier appeared before the accountability court in the same references where his counsel would cross-examine Wajid Zia, the head of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT). The elder Sharif was shifted from the Adiala jail under tight surveillance.
Nawaz Sharif had been sentenced to 10 years jail term on corruption charges in the Avenfield corruption reference in July by the accountability court judge Muhammad Bashir.
His daughter Maryam Nawaz was ordered to spend 7 years behind bars and son-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar was jailed for one year in the reference pertaining to the upscale London flats.
