Pak court gives last chance to Nawaz Sharif to appear in corruption case

Lahore, July 14

A Pakistani anti-corruption court has given a final chance to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, currently in London for medical treatment, to appear before it on August 17 in a graft case, failing which he may be declared a proclaimed offender.

The 70-year-old embattled three-time premier is currently in London for treatment after he was diagnosed with an immune system disorder.

He left for the UK in November after the Lahore High Court granted him a four-week permission to go abroad for treatment.

The notice issued by the Accountability Court of Islamabad in the Toshakhana (treasure house) corruption case was displayed at Jati Umra and Model Town residences of Sharif on Monday.

“Nawaz Sharif committed offence of punishable under Section 9 read with Section 10 of the National Accountability Ordinance 1999 and it has been returned to a warrant of arrest thereupon issued that the said accused cannot be found and whereas it has been shown to my satisfaction that the said accused has absconded,” stated the notice.

“Proclamation under section 87 CrPC is hereby made that the said accused Nawaz Sharif is required to appear before this court to answer the said reference on Aug 17,” the notice added.

The Accountability Court last month issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Sharif in the Toshakhana case. Sharif is accused of obtaining luxury cars from the treasury house by paying just 15 per cent of the price of these vehicles.

Former Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari and former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani are also accused of receiving luxury vehicles and gifts from the treasure house.

According to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Gilani had facilitated Zardari and Nawaz to obtain the vehicles.

The court has directed the Foreign Office to execute the arrest warrants against Sharif through the Pakistan High Commission in London.

Sharif, who is in London for treatment, had submitted an undertaking to the court to return to Pakistan citing his record of facing the law and justice within four weeks or as soon as he is declared healthy and fit to travel by doctors.

He was also given bail in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case in which he was serving a seven-year sentence in Kot Lakhpat Jail and in a money laundering case to facilitate his travel abroad.

Sharif has been diagnosed with complicated coronary artery/ischemic heart disease. His daughter Maryam Nawaz had said her father was a high-risk patient and therefore, his cardiac catheterisation/coronary intervention had been postponed owing to the COVID-19.

Last month, the country’s anti-graft body filed a corruption case against Sharif, Jang/Geo media group owner Mir Shakilur Rahman and two others in a land case in Lahore’s accountability court.

According to NAB, Sharif in 1986, when he was the Punjab Chief Minister, allotted 54 kanal land in Lahore to Mir Shakilur Rehman in violation of rules. Rahman has been on judicial remand after his arrest by the NAB on March 12.

Since Sharif did not respond to any of the NAB’s summons and questions, his arrest warrants had already been issued and the bureau announced to have moved the accountability court to declare him a proclaimed offender. PTI