ISLAMABAD: An accountability court acquitted Hasan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz, sons of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif, in three corruption cases related to Flagship, Avenfield apartments, and Al-Azizia Steel Mills.
During the court proceedings, Qazi Misbah, representing the brothers, highlighted that Nawaz Sharif, their father and PML-N leader, had been acquitted by the trial court in the Flagship reference, and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had withdrawn its appeal against this verdict on November 29, 2023.
Misbah argued that allegations of aiding a crime could not be pursued when the primary suspect had been cleared.
At the start of the case, the court asked Deputy Prosecutor NAB Azhar Maqbool about the report to be submitted on the plea. Maqbool informed the court that the Supreme Court’s verdict did not impede the case, and thus, the court could deliver its verdict on the petition.
Maqbool requested the court to document his statement, clarifying that the petition was unrelated to the NAB amendment. He mentioned the verdicts of the high court in cases against Nawaz, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, and Capt (retd) Safdar.
According to Maqbool, NAB did not appeal Maryam’s acquittal, but Hasan and Hussain were accused of abetting and conspiring.
He further stated that the main suspect in the cases involving Hasan and Hussain had been acquitted.
Misbah, the defense lawyer, pointed out that Nawaz was cleared based on the same evidence as Maryam, and NAB did not contest their acquittal. He noted that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) verdict copy was available on the court’s website.
Misbah argued that NAB failed to present any evidence against Maryam and Nawaz, leading to their acquittal by the IHC.
He mentioned that the IHC accepted Nawaz Sharif’s appeal in the Al-Azizia case in December 2023, and NAB did not contest the decision.
Misbah emphasized that NAB did not provide any additional evidence to justify proceeding against Hasan and Hussain.
Prosecuting Hasan and Hussain would be a misuse of the court’s time, Misbah concluded, as they could not be convicted based on the available evidence.
(Islamabad51_Newsdesk)
