SC extends deadline by 6 weeks in remaining references against Sharifs

The Supreme Court (SC) extended on Monday the deadline by six weeks given to accountability court to conclude the remaining corruption references against the Sharif family filed by the National Accountability Bureau.

A three-member bench headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar extended the deadline to conclude the cases against deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family, local media reported. The CJP heard the petition by accountability court Judge Mohammad Arshad Malik to extend the time in the Al-Azizia and Flagship corruption cases.

During the hearing, Nawaz's counsel Khawaja Haris requested the bench to extend the deadline by three months. However, the CJP dismissed his request and granted six more weeks to wrap up the corruption cases.

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Meanwhile, Nawaz appeared before an accountability court in the corruption cases. He was brought from Adiala jail where he has been incarcerated after the Avenfield verdict by Judge Muhammad Bashir. The hearing was deferred as Nawaz's counsel Harris was attending the SC hearing.

Nawaz's daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar are also serving jail time in the same corruption case. Nawaz has been sentenced to 10 years while Maryam has been given seven years jail time.

Nawaz's sons Hussain and Hassan Nawaz have already been declared proclaimed offenders in the case for their continuous failure to appear before the court for the hearing.