IHC dismisses Nawaz’s plea seeking joint verdict on three references

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The Islamabad High Court has dismisses the application of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif seeking a joint verdict on three references, declaring it ineffective. Justices Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Aamer Farooq announced the verdict on Friday after having reserved their decision on Thursday. The National Accountability Bureau had filed three references against Nawaz and his family in the accountability court last year after the Supreme Court's judgment in the Panama Papers case. The bench ruled that Nawaz's counsel has already started his final arguments in the Avenfield reference and thus the plea is in fructuous. During Thursday's proceedings in the high court, Azam Nazir Tarrar and Amjad Pervez appeared on behalf of the Sharif family. Nazir contended that this is the first case in history where the petitioner has not used delaying tactics. He said recording separate testimony of witnesses common to the three cases is depriving his client of his fundamental rights. During the proceedings, NAB prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar argued that defence lawyer Khawaja Haris had already started presenting arguments in one reference; therefore, the petition in the high court has become invalid. He further said that all of the three references were independent, adding that the complete arguments for one reference had already been presented before the accountability court. Earlier on June 5, the accountability court had dismissed Nawaz's petition to club all the three references.