IHC allows Nawaz to file more documents

Fixes Feb 18 to hear NAB’s appeal seeking increase in ex-PM’s sentence

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday allowed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to submit more documents in his appeal challenging the jail sentence in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference.

The court also fixed February 18 to hear the National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) appeals seeking increase in Nawaz's sentence in the Al-Azizia case and challenging his acquittal in the Flagship Investment reference.

Nawaz's appeal would also be heard on the same day.

A division bench of IHC comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhter Kiyani conducted hearing on a plea filed by the former prime minister, seeking to attach more documents with his appeal.

Nawaz’s counsel Munawar Iqbal Dugal pleaded before the bench that the petitioner wanted to submit more documents in the case seeking suspension of his sentence.

The documents comprise evidence produced by the prosecution and witnesses before the trial court, he said.



At this, Justice Aamer Farooq remarked that the court had already given the permission and had also summoned relevant record itself on the next date of hearing.

Meanwhile, the court also fixed next date for hearing the NAB and Nawaz’s appeals related to the graft reference.

The former prime minister had challenged his imprisonment sentence in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case and prayed the court to suspend his sentence till the final conclusion of his appeal.

However, the NAB in its case had prayed the court to increase accused person's sentence in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case and also challenged Nawaz's acquittal in the Flagship Investment reference.

Separately, the IHC stopped the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from the recruitment process in its National Response Centre for Cyber Crime (NR3C) and sought a reply from the FIA director general in a petition challenging the process.

Justice Kiyani heard the case filed by 28 employees of NR3C, FIA against the fresh recruitment process by the agency.

The petitioners had stated in their plea that it would jeopardise their rights if new recruitments were made by the department against vacancies advertised in newspapers.



During the hearing, Justice Kiyani asked whether the new recruitments were being made on contract basis or any other position.

The court; however, restricted the FIA from conducting test of candidates for recruitment till next date of hearing - February 4, and sought a written reply from the DG FIA on the petition.

In a separate case, the IHC accepted the FIA's request for early hearing of an appeal against the anti-terrorism court's (ATC) decision for not giving further time to collect evidence from Britain in the Imran Farooq murder case.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb fixed January 31, to hear the appeal of FIA against the decision of the special court.

Khawaja Imtiaz Advocate appeared before the bench on behalf of the FIA and prayed the court for early hearing of their appeal.

Earlier, an ATC had refused to give further time to FIA to collect evidence from Britain in the murder case of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Imran Farooq.

The FIA had challenged the decision and now, requested the court for its early hearing.

In another case, the IHC asked the Ministry of Defence to submit a report in the case regarding putting Lt Gen (retd) Asad Durrani's name on the Exit Control List (ECL) for writing a controversial book.

Justice Kiyani, while hearing Durrani's plea, directed the ministry to submit the relevant part of the sealed inquiry report within one month.

The bench asked the ministry to just apprise the court whether any action was being taken against the retired general or not.

The bench adjourned the case till February 21.