Accountability court rejects Sharif family's exemption plea

NAB prosecutor asks whether entire family's presence required to make medical decisions for Kulsoom Nawaz

ISLAMABAD: The accountability court rejected on Thursday a plea filed by the Sharif family seeking a week-long exemption to appear before the court.

The court conceded with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) argument that the trial was at a concluding stage hence the Sharif family should not be allowed to leave the country. The bureau had already requested accountability court to place their names on Exit Control List (ECL).

The application was filed by defence counsels Khawaja Haris and Amjad Pervaiz with a medical report of Kulsoom Nawaz during the hearing of the Avenfield reference filed by the NAB against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retd) Mohammad Safdar.

In the request, the ruling family informed the court that they will be travelling to the United Kingdom to make decisions regarding Kulsoom Nawaz’s treatment plan for cancer. The application states that despite six cycles of chemotherapy, there was a relapse.

Following the submission, NAB prosecutor asked whether it was mandatory for the entire family to be present at the hospital as Kulsoom’s two sons, Hassan and Hussain, were already with her.

The NAB prosecutor’s question hurt Maryam, speaking to the media during a break in court proceedings she said she was not expecting an insensitive statement at a difficult time. “This is disheartening.”

Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, Maryam said: "When we requested court to grant us a week-long exemption to visit mother, NAB asked whether is was necessary for the entire family to be present there?"

آج جب عدالت سے والدہ کی عیادت کے لیے اپنے اور اپنے والد کے لیےایک ہفتہ کے استسنا مانگی تو نیب نے کہا کہ پورے خاندان کاوہاں ہونا ضروری نہیں! pic.twitter.com/XMlljr6BzH

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) March 22, 2018

An hour later, Maryam tweeted about a conversation with her mother where Kulsoom asked if the court had granted them exemption. After Maryam informed her in the negative, Kulsoom said it was okay, "God is with us."

امی میری اور ابو کی منتظر تھیں۔ ابھی فون پر پوچھا کہ اجازت مل گئی؟ میں نے کہا نہیں ملی۔ کہنے لگیں کوئی بات نہیں، ہمارا اللّہ مالک ہے! pic.twitter.com/mKMxx6b84v

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) March 22, 2018

Replying to a tweet, Maryam added that her mother was waiting. "Haven't seen her for over four months," she said. "Our last exemption request was also rejected."

Yes, she'd been waiting. Haven't seen her for over 4 months. Our last exemption request was also rejected. https://t.co/jvAHRdakae

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) March 22, 2018

Meanwhile, Joint Investigation Team (JIT) head Wajid Zia continued to record his statement against the Sharif family in the Avenfield reference.