By Muhammad Luqman
Pakistan’s ousted Prime Minister , Nawaz Sharif appeared before an Accountability court on Tuesday in connection with the three corruption references,
The proceedings lasted for only a few minutes after which the former premier was allowed to leave. Sharif reportedly informed the NAB court that his wife was not well and he needed to attend to her, following which Sharif was granted permission to leave.
The NAB court then adjourned for 10 minutes before continuing with the normal case proceedings.
The court has summoned Sharif again on October 2 for formally indicting him in the three separate references filed by National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
The court also issued bailable arrest warrants for Sharif’s children Hassan, Hussain, and Maryam, and for son-in-law Captain (rtd) Muhammad Safdar. The court directed them to submit surety bonds worth Rs 1 million each to secure bail.
NAB’s legal team also requested the court to order the interior ministry to place Sharif’s name on the exit control list.
A number of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders, including federal ministers, accompanied the former prime minister to his first appearance before the accountability court.
The court had summoned Sharif, who arrived Monday morning from London, after his failure to appear at an earlier hearing on Sept 19.
The court had also summoned Sharif’s sons — Hussain and Hassan — but they did not appear on Tuesday as they are still in London tending to their mother, who is undergoing cancer treatment.
During the court appearance, some PMN-L followers started chanting slogans in Sharif’s support inside the courtroom, annoying the judge Mohammad Bashir, who then asked the former premier to leave as his lawyers were there to represent him.
