NAB challenges Al-Azizia, Flagship reference verdicts in IHC

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against accountability court’s December 24 verdicts in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investment reference against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

On December 24, the accountability court sentenced Nawaz to seven years in prison in Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference, while acquitting him in the Flagship Investment reference.

The accountability watchdog filed appeals against the verdicts and requested the IHC to declare the accountability court’s decision to acquit Nawaz in the Flagship reference as null and void. “We provided concrete evidence against Nawaz in the Flagship reference,” NAB stated.

“It is illegal to acquit Nawaz on the mere basis of the benefit of doubt,” the watchdog stated. “IHC should sentence Nawaz on the basis of evidence,” it added.

Further, NAB upheld that the seven-year jail term handed to Nawaz in the Al-Azizia corruption reference is not enough and should be increased.

Nawaz has been proven guilty and as per Section 9 (a)(v) of the NAB ordinance the punishment is a 14-year prison term, the accountability watchdog said in its appeal.

A day earlier, Nawaz’s counsel Khawaja Haris filed an appeal against the verdict of the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference in the IHC. In the appeal, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz quaid requested the high court to declare his sentence null and void, and release him on bail.