Accountability court formally indicts Nawaz Sharif in all three NAB references [Update Post #8]

[MenInG]

Disqualified prime minister Nawaz Sharif arrived in Pakistan on Thursday, less than a month after he left for London, to appear before an accountability court in connection with the corruption references filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK-786 carrying Sharif landed at Islamabad's Benazir Bhutto International Airport at around 8:20am.

A larger number of PML-N supporters and party leaders including Senators Asif Kirmani and Pervaiz Rasheed and MNA Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhary turned up at the airport to welcome him.

Minutes after landing, Sharif along with his motorcade left for Punjab House where he is expected to address a meeting of party workers later in the day.

The ex-PM returned to the country to appear before an accountability court on November 3 while his wife remains under cancer treatment in London.

The aggressive language used by the disqualified prime minister in a TV interview before his departure from the UK capital negated the reports that appeared in the media in the wake of a high-level meeting of the ruling PML-N in London on Monday suggesting Sharif had been convinced to give up confrontation with state institutions.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, federal ministers Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Asif and Ahsan Iqbal had attended the huddle.

“Taking revenge in the name of accountability is unacceptable,” the former premier said in the interview, putting a question mark over the ongoing accountability process against him and his family.

“What scandal have I been found involved in? What’s the issue? What’s the charge sheet?” he said in a reference to his disqualification for not mentioning in his assets declaration the salaries he didn’t receive from the UAE-based company of his son.

“Is it a Haj scandal, IPPs or NICL scandal? What’s the origin of the drama being staged in the name of accountability?” and that the Panama Papers case verdict became a source of embarrassment [for the nation].

Despite all these reservations, Sharif said he would appear before courts to show his respect for the judiciary notwithstanding the ailment of Begum Kulsoom, who needs his presence as per doctors’ advice.

The former first lady underwent a second round of chemotherapy in London on Wednesday.

The ousted prime minister had earlier appeared twice before the accountability court after his pleas for exempting him personal appearances keeping in view the ailment of his wife were rejected.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1367868/n...o-appear-before-accountability-court-tomorrow

 

[Abdullah719]

Minutes after landing, Sharif along with his motorcade left for Punjab House where he is expected to address a meeting of party workers later in the day.

Yeah a 56-car motorcade... Information Minister saying that's not protocol, it's security.

 

[IAJ]

Ji aya nu

 

[ManFan]

A poor villager said that the likes of Nawaz and Zardari won't even find themselves a grave to be buried in when their time comes.

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">"A boss has the title. A leader has the people."<br>A glimpse of Nawaz Sharif evokes such love & reverence! Moment captured outside court today <a href="https://t.co/BDi04lowvy">pic.twitter.com/BDi04lowvy</a></p>— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryamNSharif/status/926422235824427008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Yeah OK...

 

[www787]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">"A boss has the title. A leader has the people."<br>A glimpse of Nawaz Sharif evokes such love & reverence! Moment captured outside court today <a href="https://t.co/BDi04lowvy">pic.twitter.com/BDi04lowvy</a></p>— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryamNSharif/status/926422235824427008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Yeah OK...

Na, instead they are begging not to take out boti from Nihari.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_5mM4imtN0o" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">NAB confirms UK govt refusing 2 cooperate in case against Nawaz Sharif/children. It’s coz UK/world know NS disqualification was political revenge, nothing 2 do with accountability</p>— Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaGeoNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/MurtazaGeoNews/status/926738133005324288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Some useful input on the matter from a Journalist .

 

[Abdullah719]

Accountability court formally indicts Nawaz in all three NAB references

The accountability court formally indicted former premier Nawaz Sharif in all the three NAB references cases on Wednesday.

Earlier today, Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz, and son-in-law Capt (retd) Safdar appeared before the court to hear the judgement against the clubbing of references filed against the Sharif family. The court dismissed the application stating that “for each reference, there will be a trial”.

“This investigation is malafide, and politically motivated,” Nawaz said during the hearing. “I am being denied the right to a fair and just trial under Article 10-A,” he added.
The court has stated that the four references shall be investigated and tried in the next six months. On this, PML-N counsel Khawaja Haris raised concerns over the simultaneous proceedings of references. “Four references, six months, which would mean one-and-a-half month for one reference,” Nawaz commented on the length of the process.

The time of the proceedings of each reference shall be dealt with accordingly.

Nawaz has also requested for a pleader who can appear in the court during the hearing and investigation on his behalf. He stated that “the investigation should go as planned” and that Zaafir Khan be allowed to appear on his behalf. The court has yet to respond on this matter.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz [PML-N] leaders Marriyum Aurangzeb, Talal Chaudhry and Tariq Fatemi were also present at the court.


Indictment over ‘Calibri’ font

The court has also amended the chargesheet removing the Calibri font paragraph from it as that will be dealt with separately.

The accountability court also accepted Maryam Nawaz and Capt (retd) Safdar’s application for the alteration of the Calibri font issue in the Avenfield Apartments reference.

“Section 3-A of schedule has been struck down,” said counsel Amjad Parvez during the hearing.

The judges stated that the Calibri font issue will not be discussed until the rest of the references have been concluded.

Maryam Nawaz and Capt (retd) Safdar had filed an application before the court saying framing of charges pertaining to the use of Calibri font in a trust deed at this juncture is a violation of the Supreme Court’s judgment of July 28.

On October 19, the accountability court Judge Muhammad Basir indicted Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Capt (retd) Safdar in the Avenfield Apartments reference case.

“A false, fabricated trust deed dated 02-02-2006 in Calibri font was filed whereas no such font was available for such purposes of that deed in that year,” read the charge sheet.

In addition, it read “that deed was signed by you accused Maryam Nawaz as well as you co-accused Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar, signature of you accused Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar was as a witness. By filing such declaration, you both allegedly tried to mislead the investigation agency.”

“The cognizance of an offence of false evidence committed in the course of the investigation of trial is to be taken upon pronouncement of judgment,” Pervez stated in the application filed on Tuesday. He subsequently said that the “framing of the charge reproduced above at this stage is illegal and without jurisdiction.”

In addition, he said, the NAB chairman filed the reference under sections 9(a)(iv)(v)(xii) and serial No. 2 of the schedule of NAB ordinance.

However, he highlighted, perusal of the charge reflects that in addition to the offences mentioned in the reference, the accountability court has also proceeded to frame charge in terms of offence mentioned at serial No. 3(a) of the schedule of NAO 1999.

The JIT report had concluded that Maryam is the real and ultimate beneficial owner of the Avenfield apartments; she never declared them as her overseas properties, submitted fake documents and misled the Supreme Court.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1552670/1-nawaz-arrives-accountability-court/

 

[MenInG]

More trouble for Nawaz and Sharifs.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1371279/nab-moves-to-put-names-of-sharif-four-relatives-on-ecl

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Lahore, on Friday initiated the process to place ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and four of his family members on the Exit Control List (ECL).

According to the NAB Isla*mabad spokesman, the other members of the family who may face travel restriction are Mr Sharif’s sons Hussain and Hassan, daughter Mar*yam and son-in-law retired Capt Mohammad Safdar.

An accountability court had earlier declared Hussain and Hassan proclaimed offenders for skipping court proceedings in references pertaining to their family’s Avenfield properties, Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metals Establishment, and Flagship Investment Ltd.

On Thursday, NAB had requested the ministry of interior to put Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s name on the ECL after an accountability court issued non-bailable arrest warrants for him. Mr Dar, like Mr Sharif’s sons, has continuously been absent from court proceedings in a reference against him for owning assets beyond his known sources of income.

A senior official told Dawn on condition of anonymity that NAB Lahore had written to its headquarters requesting that Hussain and Hassan’s names be placed on the ECL. The NAB spokesman in Islamabad confirmed the other three names — Nawaz Sharif, Maryam and Capt Safdar — that had been recommended by NAB Lahore to be placed on ECL.

The headquarters would ask the interior ministry to proceed further.

The official in NAB Lahore said according to the procedure, they would first place Hussain and Hassan’s names on the ECL and if they still did not appear before the accountability court, then NAB would request cancellation of their passports.

Earlier in October, Hassan told journalists that the summons, warrants or proceedings by NAB did not apply to him or his brother Hussain as they were also British nationals.

The brothers, who live in the UK, are accused in three references ordered by the Supreme Court in its July 28 verdict in the Panama Papers case. On Oct 9, the court, while hearing the references, had accepted NAB’s plea to declare Hassan and Hussain proclaimed offenders.

The NAB Lahore spokesperson, however, has denied writing to the NAB headquarters or to the interior ministry asking them to place their names on the ECL.

 

[Syed1]

The interior ministry is the one the puts people on ECL so it's hard to imagine a darbari government putting the Sharifs on it.