Nawaz Sharif briefly appears before NAB accountability court

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad allowed former premier Nawaz Sharif to leave after he briefly appeared before the court on Tuesday for hearing of references filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

A number of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders, including federal ministers, accompanied the former prime minister, for his first appearance before the accountability court, which had summoned him after his failure to appear at an earlier hearing on September 19.

The court had also summoned Nawaz’s sons, Hussain and Hassan. However, they were unable to appear today as they are still in London tending to their mother, who is undergoing cancer treatment.

Nawaz returned to Pakistan on Monday after spending more than three weeks in London and went straight into several consultation sessions with party leaders about his future plans.

Recently, the Senate passed the election reforms bill with an amendment, paving the way for Nawaz’s elevation as party president. Given the PML-N majority, the bill is likely to have an easy sailing in the National Assembly.

However, there were apprehensions within some party circles that the move could be challenged in the courts. In this context, consultations continued between the deposed premier and his legal team, to put up an effective legal defence in case the matter lands in the court.

One of the close aides to Nawaz told The Express Tribune that the former premier would also visit NA-120 Lahore, his home constituency, in the coming days to thank voters for supporting his wife in the recently held by-poll.