Nawaz exempted from Al-Azizia case hearing

Case adjourned till May 9 due to non-completion of documents

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court accepted former premier Nawaz Sharif’s plea seeking exemption from personal appearance in the Al-Azizia reference and adjourned the hearing of the case till May 9 due to non-completion of documents.

In the application, Nawaz contended that the Supreme Court granted him six-week bail to undergo medical treatment and he is being examined at the Sharif Medical City hospital.

The division bench of Islamabad High Court comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard the appeal.

Nawaz’s counsel Khawaja Haris pointed out mistakes in the case paper books. He observed that he does not know why the essential documents were missing.

“Documents which should not have been filed in the paper book are there, while the ones which should have been there, have not been filed,” Haris said.

The court observed that the documents might have been attached separately.

Nawaz’s counsel replied, “525 pages from paper book are missing. It seems as if some specific pages have been attached. Don’t know it has been done”.

Justice Farooq directed that one facilitator each should be assigned to Haris and NAB prosecution team and ordered the registrar office to re-prepare the books.

The bench inquired about the whereabouts of Nawaz Sharif.

It was told that he had submitted a petition seeking exemption from appearing in person.

The court accepted his plea and directed Haris to appear on May 9, check the books and then to proceed with the case.

The Accountability Court of Islamabad convicted Nawaz on December 24 in Al-Azizia reference and sentenced him to seven years’ imprisonment.
The Supreme Court last month suspended his sentence for six weeks and granted him post arrest bail for six weeks to get medical treatment in the country.
Back in February, Nawaz was diagnosed as a patient with serious health problems and the specially constituted medical board that examined him recommended he be shifted to a hospital.