The Islamabad High Court has recently declared former Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif as a "proclaimed offender".
The orders were released on appeals filed by Ex-PM Nawaz Sharif against his sentences in the Al Azizia & Avenfield cases by the 2-Member Bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq & Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Geo News said.
European Foreign Ministry Director Mubashir Khan told the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that he had received an advertisement from the Court about Nawaz Sharif and submitted it to the High Commission of Pakistan in London.
“Two appeals are from Nawaz Sharif and two appeals from NAB are against Nawaz Sharif”. A notice was given against the appeal by NAB to increase the penalty, but no notice was issued in the reference flagship, " said Justice Amir Farooq while addressing NAB's Additional Prosecutor Jahanzaib Bharwana.
Upon hearing Justice Farooq, the NAB lawyer requested the Court to dismiss Sharif's pleas on merit, adding that it was possible to sentence the former Prime Minister for not surrendering to the Court.
At the next hearing, Justice Farooq asked the NAB prosecutor to present judicial precedents on what to do with the former prime minister's appeal, Geo News said.
After hearing the arguments, the court decided to declare Nawaz a proclaimed offender & stated that it will issue its written orders shortly.
Until Dec 9, the case was adjourned. Along with two other cases the Court will hear both appeals — one filed by the NAB against Maryam Nawaz and another filed by the latter against her conviction in the Dawn report on corruption in Avenfield.
In 2018, in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills Company & Hill Metal Establishment (HME) reference, Accountability Court Judge Mohammad Arshad Malik convicted Nawaz and awarded him seven years in prison and levied a fine of Rs 1.5 billion & USD 25 million.
The IHC on October 29, 2020 will hear Sharif's plea against his conviction in the reference case.
On September 15, 2020 the IHC had rejected the exemption plea of Nawaz Sharif and released non-bailable arrest warrants in Al-Azizia & Avenfield cases.
