Pak court gives last chance to Nawaz Sharif to appear in corruption case

A court tice was displayed on Monday at residence of Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, giving him a final chance to appear before it on August 17 in a corruption case.

Sharif, supremo of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), may be declared proclaimed offender if he does t appear before court to defend himself in Toshakhana (treasure house) corruption case.

“Proclamation under section 87 Cr. P.C. is hereby me that said accused Mian Muhamm Nawaz Sharif is required to appear before this court to answer said reference on August 17,” court tice said.

Accountability Court of Islamab h recently issued n-bailable arrest warrants against Sharif in Toshakhana case. Sharif is accused of taking cars from treasury house by paying 15 percent of price of se vehicles.

Sharif, former Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari and former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani are also accused of receiving luxury vehicles and gifts from treasure house.

Gilani h facilitated Zardari and Nawaz in this respect, alleges National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

court has directed Foreign Office to execute arrest warrants against Sharif through Pakistan High Commission in London. He is residing in Avenfield Apartments in UK.

Sharif, 70, left for London in vember after Lahore High Court granted him four-week permission to go abro for treatment. He h submitted an undertaking to court to return to Pakistan citing his record of facing law and justice within four weeks or as soon as he is declared healthy and fit to travel by doctors.

He was also given bail in Al-Azizia Mills corruption case in which he was serving a seven-year sentence in Kot Lakhpat Jail and in a money laundering case to facilitate his travel abro.

Sharif has been diagsed with “complicated coronary artery/ischemic heart disease. His daughter Maryam Nawaz h said her far was a high-risk patient and refore, his cardiac caterisation/coronary intervention h been postponed owing to COVID-19.

Last month, country's anti-graft body filed a corruption reference against Nawaz Sharif, Jang/Geo media group owner Mir Shakilur Rahman and two ors in a land case in Lahore's accountability court.

According to NAB, Sharif in 1986, when he was Punjab chief minister, allotted 54 kanal land in Lahore to Mir Shakilur Rehman in violation of rules. Rahman has been on judicial remand after his arrest by NAB on March 12.

Since Sharif did t respond to any of NAB's summons and questions, his arrest warrants h alrey been issued and bureau anunced to have moved accountability court to declare him a proclaimed offender.

Im credits: PTI