Pakistan Supreme Court to hear NAB's plea against Nawaz Sharif's release

The Pakistan Supreme Court on November 12 accepted to hear the plea filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against the Islamabad High Court's order to suspend the jail terms awarded to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz in the Avenfield case.

The preliminary hearing of the case was conducted by a three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, who indicated that Sharifs would remain out of jail during the trial and the case against the suspension of the jail term would be heard separately, reported GeoTV.

The court stated that it would consider the change in the bench and increase the members on the bench if needed.

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The next hearing in the case is scheduled for December 12.

On September 19, the Islamabad High Court suspended the sentences of former Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar Awan in the Avenfield case due to lack of evidence.

The bench had ordered the release of the jailed former prime minister, his daughter, and son-in-law, who was jailed in July for eleven years, eight years and one year, respectively.

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Nawaz Sharif and Maryam were convicted in absentia in the Avenfield case on July 6 by the Accountability Court. Apart from serving jail sentences, fines of eight million pounds and two million pounds were also slapped on the father-daughter duo, respectively.

Safdar, on the other hand, was given a one-year sentence but exempted from paying fine.

Earlier, in April, Pakistan's Supreme Court disqualified Nawaz Sharif from holding public office for life after his conviction for corruption in the Panama Papers case. His fellow-party leader Shahid Abbasi had taken over as Prime Minister in the aftermath, though his reign was short as he too was required to step aside ahead of the July 25 General Elections in Pakistan.

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