Reopening References: NAB reply sought on Sharifs’ plea

A Lahore High Court (LHC) referee judge on Tuesday sought replies from the federal government and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on an application by the Sharif family challenging reopening of the Ittefaq Foundry reference. The NAB has reopened three references – Hudaibiya Papers Mills, Jati Umra land purchase and Ittefaq Foundry. Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan has already accepted the plea for reopening the first two references. Justice Khan has been hearing the appeal as referee judge after Justice Sheikh Najammul Hassan refused to proceed with the matter. Ashtar Ausaf, counsel for the Sharif family, argued that the NAB had made the references on direction of then military ruler Pervez Musharraf in order to politically victimise his clients. He said the references could not be reopened.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 10^th, 2014.