Nawaz Sharif to File Appeals Against Prison Terms

ISLAMABAD: PML-N supremo and former premier Nawaz Sharif will file appeals in the Islamabad High Court on October 23 (Monday) against the prison terms handed down to him in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption references.

Confirmation of Appeals Filing

Amjad Pervez, a member of Nawaz’s legal team, has confirmed that the appeals would be filed in the court on Monday.

He added that the PML-N supremo met with his lawyers at the lounge of the Islamabad airport on his return to the country and discussed his legal issues with them.

He later signed the application for the restoration of his appeals in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia Steel Mills cases.

A team of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) present there also recorded his biometrics and handed over its receipt to the legal team for its submission to the court.

The PML-N supremo’s legal team members, who met him at the Islamabad airport, included former law minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Parvez and Qazi Misbah.

Ex-finance minister Ishaq Dar and other party leaders were present on the occasion as well.

The PML-N supremo after having tea at the airport left for Lahore.

Previous Dismissal of Appeals

In June 2021, the IHC dismissed Nawaz’s appeals against his conviction in the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) corruption references over his continuous failure to appear before the court.

An IHC division bench, comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, dismissed the former premier’s appeals in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia references as he, despite being on bail, went abroad, remained absent on the hearings and did not appear before the court without any justification.

The judges, however, stated that the appellant might file an application before the IHC, as and when he surrenders or is captured by the authorities, for a decision on the appeals.

Background on Convictions

On July 6, 2018, an accountability court convicted the PML-N supremo in the Avenfield reference and sentenced him to 10 years in prison. Subsequently on December 24, 2018, another accountability court convicted him in the Al-Azizia reference and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment.

The IHC in its order observed that Nawaz had filed appeals against the judgments and was released on bail. Later, it continued, he failed to surrender and was declared an absconder after following the codal formalities for procuring his attendance.