IHC seeks arguments from NAB in Avenfield case

Maryam’s counsel contended that NAB had neither revealed sources of income nor determined the price of apartments

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has sought arguments from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on the appeals of PML-N leaders Maryam Nawaz and Captain (retd) Safdar against their sentences in the Avenfield Apartment reference on September 21.

During the hearing, Maryam’s counsel Amjad Pervaiz contended that the anti-corruption watchdog until now had neither revealed the sources of income nor determined the price of the apartments.

The lawyer said he did not understand how signing the deed in 2006 contributed to the crime of 1993.

He said his client was sentenced only on the opinion of forensic expert Robert Radley, adding that Radley had admitted during the cross-examination that he was not a computer expert and that he had used the Calibri font in April 2005.

Maryam’s counsel completed his arguments in the case.

The court sought details from the NAB prosecutor and adjourned the hearing of the case till September 21.

Accountability Court judge Mohammad Bashir had on July 6, 2018, convicted former premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam and her husband Safdar in the Avenfield reference and handed them jail terms of 10, seven and one years, respectively, for owning assets beyond known sources of income.

They had filed appeals in the IHC against the conviction. The court had in September of the same year suspended their sentences and released them on bail.