SC rejects NAB plea challenging IHC decision to hear Sharif’s petitions

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a petition filed by the National Accountability Bureau challenging the Islamabad High Court's (IHC) decision to hear Sharif’s petitions against the Avenfield verdict. A three-member bench headed by the chief justice heard the appeals. The NAB prosecutor took a stance that the IHC ordered to fix hearing the appeals against Avenfield reference on August 30. He said that the IHC's reviewed its decision on September 10 and ordered to proceed with the petitions of Sharif’s for the suspension of sentences awarded by an accountability court in the Avenfield reference. The anti-graft body had requested the top court to set aside the IHC's September 10 decision to proceed with the petitions of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar for the suspension of sentences awarded by an accountability court in the Avenfield reference. Admonishing NAB Prosecutor Akram Qureshi for challenging the IHC's decision, the chief justice said, “this is the mechanism. What is illegal in the high court's order?" The chief justice remarked that why does the NAB file such baseless petitions. However, imposing a Rs20,000 fine on the bureau, the chief justice noted that justice should be served to petitioners. Earlier on September 15, the anti-graft body had moved the Supreme Court in an effort to keep the IHC from ruling on an application from the Sharif family seeking the suspension of the Avenfield verdict.