Yet to receive Volume X copy, Nawaz Sharif’s lawyer tells IHC

The legal team of PML-N supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has told the court that they have not yet been provided a copy of the Volume X, a part of the report of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) set up by the Supreme Court to probe Panama Leaks, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The development came during the hearing of Nawaz Sharif’s appeals against his conviction in the Avenfield Apartments and Al-Azizia references by a two-judge IHC bench led by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb.

The former premier and the PML-N leader was in the courtroom when his legal team started to submit their arguments.

After hearing arguments by the ML-N lawyer, the Islamabad High Court adjourned the case till November 29 (Wednesday).

At the outset of the hearing, Nawaz Sharif’s lawyer Amjad Pervaiz presented a brief note detailing facts about the case in the court.

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During previous hearing, the High Court sought arguments from the lawyers on Nawaz’s appeal in the Avenfield reference. Lawyer Amjad Pervaiz told the court that he needed 4 to 6 hours to complete his arguments in the case while the NAB said that it needed only half an hour to complete its arguments in the Avenfleld reference.

In July 2018, Nawaz Sharif was sentenced 10 years in jail in the Avenfield properties corruption reference for owning assets beyond known income and one year for not cooperating with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), both of which were to be served concurrently.

He was sentenced to seven years in jail on Dec 24, 2018 in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference. He was also fined Rs1.5 billion and US$25 million.

The IHC had declared him a proclaimed offender in both cases in December 2020. After leaving for London on medical grounds, Nawaz remained there for nearly four years and only returned to the country last month.

During today’s hearing, Amjad Pervaiz gave reference of the 2017 Supreme Court Judgement on the Panama case.

Citing the Supreme Court’s order on the Panama Papers case, in which Nawaz Sharif was disqualified, the lawyer recalled that a joint investigation team had been formed in light of the verdict.

At this point during the hearing, Justice Miangul Aurangzeb asked whether the counsel’s arguments had “any scope”. Pervaiz then apprised the court of the JIT’s constitution and its members.

He informed the IHC that the JIT submitted a 12-volume report to the apex court in July 2017 after which the involved parties presented their arguments and the court issued the final verdict on July 28, 2017, disqualifying his client.

Justice Miangul Aurangzeb then asked the counsel, “What orders did the Supreme Court clearly issue? Did the SC issue any directives to the NAB chairman?”

To this, Pervaiz responded that the apex court “gave positive orders to NAB that references be filed against Nawaz Sharif”.

Pervaiz further informed the IHC that the prosecution did not provide him with a copy of volume X of the JIT report. The chief justice then said, “At least some of the details from volume X would have come on record during the trial?” However, the lawyer said that no document from the volume was brought on the record, adding that a “few questions were answered during the interrogation”.

Nawaz will stay in Murree for a few days

According to party sources, after appearing in the Islamabad High Court, there is a possibility that Nawaz Sharif will stay in Murree for 3 to 4 days.

He is expected to hold important meetings during his stay in Murree. He is likely to meet the leaders from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

His meetings with the allied parties’ leaders are also being arranged in Islamabad and Murree.

Former prime minister and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif is also expected to leave for Islamabad.

Sources said that Nawaz Sharif will hold a final consultation on the announcement of the party’s central parliamentary board. The announcement is expected to be made during this week.

 

Reporters Farzana Siddique and Rao Dilshad