IHC hearing Nawaz Sharif's pleas for restoration of appeals against conviction in two references

ISLAMABAD (APP) – The two-member bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) will hear the applications filed by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for restoration of appeals in Avenfield property and Al-Azizia Steel Mills references.

The bench will comprise of IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Gull Hassan Aurangzeb. The legal team of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Monday filed applications to the Islamabad High Court (IHC), seeking the restoration of appeals in Avenfield property and Al-Azizia Steel Mills references.

Amjad Pervaiz advocate filed the applications on behalf of the former prime minister. It prayed to court to decide the appeals after hearing arguments on merit in the cases.

In the petitions, PLL-N leader Nawaz Sharif stated that he had not completely recovered from the ailment, adding he decided to return country due to the miserable economic condition of the country. He said that he was awarded the imprisonment sentence by the accountability court in his absence on July 6, 2018.

He said that his wife was under medical treatment and on the ventilator in a hospital of London. He had requested the trial court to delay the judgment but the request was rejected at that time. "Despite the fact, I came back to Pakistan, faced the jail and filed appeals against his convictions," he added.

He said that the co-accused including Maryam Nawaz and her husband, had already been acquitted in Avenfield property case. The application said that the appeals were terminated the in absence of the petitioner.

It said that the former prime minister couldn’t appear before the court due to his health issues, adding he had not misused his bail in manner. It also said that the petitioner had been submitting his medical reports to the Lahore High Court (LHC).