Suspension of Avenfield verdict: IHC fines NAB for wasting court's time

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday ordered National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to conclude arguments against Sharif family's plea for suspension of Avenfield verdict till Monday. The plea was filed by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (r) Safdar seeking suspension of the Avenfield verdict. However, the IHC imposed fine worth Rs10,000 the NAB for wasting the time of court. A two-member bench of the IHC, comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb heard the plea against suspension of Avenfield verdict case. During the hearing, NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi sought time to conclude his arguments in the case. The bench approved the request of NAB for submitting para-wise reply and directed to the NAB prosecutor to start his arguments. To reply, Sardar Muzaffar said that he has to take the directions from authorized official on this proceedings. Justice Minallah questioned Abbasi whether the NAB chairman had directed him, the deputy prosecutor general responded, "The prosecutor general asked me." Justice Minallah responded to Sharif's lawyer Khawaja Haris, saying that "when the punishment to be more than seven to ten years then plea against verdict should be after some punishment time to be heard. The punishment may not suspend instantly, the court is only hearing this plea beyond tradition due to importance and circumstances of the case. The IHC judge then asked Abbasi if he can conclude his arguments on Monday to which he responded, "I will have to ask first." However, Justice Aurangzeb said, "You are wasting our time." As Justice Minallah decided to give NAB a last chance to present its arguments on Monday. Earlier, Nawaz's counsel concluded his arguments after the bench rejected the NAB deputy prosecutor general's request for more time. On July 6, Nawaz, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar, were convicted by accountability judge Mohammad Bashir in Avenfield reference.