NAB requests larger bench in Sharif appeal
The NAB counsel filed an application requesting that a larger bench hear the appeals as they pertained to a matter of grave importance.
The bench headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsan referred the application to the CJ and adjourned the hearing.
On the last date of hearing, the bench had turned down this request of the bureau. Advocate Taffazul H Rizvi, previously, had requested that the appeals be referred to the CJ for the constitution of a larger bench as the matter was of a grave nature.
After much reluctance, NAB presented all the seized documents of the companies owned by the Sharif family and the LHC took the record in the presence of the Sharif family representative.
In its appeal, the Sharif family submitted that the NAB was not releasing properties they had seized in 2001 to recover a fine imposed on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif by an accountability court for the purchase of a Russian helicopter and an anti-terrorism court for alleged hijacking of a plane. The appellants submitted that the Supreme Court had set aside both convictions but the NAB, despite repeated applications, had not released the seized properties and had resorted to coercive measures against them.
The appellants also argued that it was unlawful for the NAB to recover the fines imposed on Nawaz Sharif from other members of his family.
The appeals were filed by Mian Shahbaz Sharif, Sabina Abbas, daughter of Mian Abbas, for recovery of papers of Hudabiya Paper Mills, Hudabiya Engineering Services, Chaudhry Sugar Mills, Ramzan Sugar Mills and Hamza Spinning Mills and the said companies’ shares from the custody of the NAB.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2010.
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