Al-Azizia reference: IHC to hear Nawaz's appeal against judgement on January 21

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Thursday scheduled a hearing on former Premier Nawaz Sharif's appeal against the accountability court's judgement in Al-Azizia reference for January 21. A two-member bench comprising Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiani will conduct the hearing on the appeal against the accountability court's judgement as well as on Nawaz's petition requesting suspension of his punishment.
On Wednesday, the IHC approved Sharif's petition and instructed the court registrar to schedule a hearing of his appeal against the accountability court's judgement in the Al- Azizia reference within 10 days.
A two-member bench including Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiani conducted the hearing on Nawaz's petition.
During the hearing on Wednesday, Sharif's counsel requested the court to schedule the appeal hearing at the earliest possible date.
The IHC complied with the request and instructed the court registrar to schedule a hearing of the appeal against the judgement within 10 days.
The court also instructed to schedule the hearing of the suspension of Nawaz's prison sentence, along with the appeal against the accountability court's judgement in the Al Azizia reference.
A petition submitted on Tuesday to the high court by Sharif's counsel Khawaja Haris maintained that former premier's 'basic human rights are being violated,' hence a hearing on the appeal should be fixed at the earliest date possible.
The IHC earlier announced that Sharif's plea seeking suspension of the prison sentence will be heard along with the appeals against the verdict.
The accountability court had awarded a seven-year prison sentence to the former premier in the Al-Azizia reference.
Sharif had earlier filed an appeal against the punishment and also submitted a petition seeking suspension of the sentence.