Panamagate references: Accountability court submits progress report

NAB to update SC’s monitoring judge today

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court has submitted to the Supreme Court the first progress report regarding its proceedings in graft cases against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his children and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

Sources told The Express Tribune that the report was submitted before Justice Ijaz ul Ahsen, the monitoring judge appointed by the Supreme Court for the proceedings emanating from the Panama Papers case judgment.



The accountability court has already indicted Dar, but could not proceed against Sharif on his appearance this week due to mismanagement of security in the courtroom. The next date of hearing is October 2.

Meanwhile, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is also likely to submit its third weekly progress report regarding the case on Friday (today). NAB has earlier submitted two reports regarding the investigation of the case and filing of four references against Sharif and his children in the accountability court.

On the other hand, the Sharif family’s legal team is consistently expressing reservations over the supervision of the trials by the SC judge.



Khawaja Haris, the counsel for Sharif, contended in his arguments on a review petition before the five-judge larger bench that supervision of the accountability court’s proceedings would affect fair trial. The counsel alleged that the SC itself had become the complainant, prosecutor and judge in the matter.

In its July 28 verdict, the SC asked the accountability court to decide the four references within six months. NAB has filed the references within the time stipulated for the purpose.