IHC Adjourns Al-Azizia & Avenfield References till 7th October

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ISLAMABAD, Sep 30 (APP): The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday ordered to testify the officials through video link who implement arrest warrants’ notices to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s address in United Kingdom (UK) in Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Avenfield Property references.

A division bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Justice Mohsin Akhter Kiyani heard the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and National Accountability Bureau (NAB)’s appeals in graft references. During the course of proceedings, Additional Attorney General (AAG) Tariq Khokhar informed the bench that the official of Pakistan High Commission in UK Abdul Hannan visited Avenfield apartments and tried his best to implement the court notices but a person appointed on the address refused to receive it.

The court remarked that it had issued non-bailable arrest warrants against the accused and it had to view whether Nawaz Sharif was deliberately avoiding the court proceedings against him. The counsel of the accused had admitted that the former prime minister was aware about his non-bailable arrest warrants.

The AAG further apprised the court that the common wealth office had told the Pakistan High Commission on contact that implementation of IHC’s orders didn’t fall in its jurisdiction. To this the bench noted that it means the commonwealth office was not ready to facilitate Pakistan in this regard, adding that it had to be proved that all efforts were made to implement the notices. Additional Prosecutor General NAB Jahanzeb Bharwana adopted the stance that the accused was aware about his arrest warrants.

Justice Mohsin Akhter Kiyani observed that the former prime minister would be unable to claim on his return later that he was unaware about his arrest warrants. The accused deceived the government and people to travel abroad, he said and remarked that it was disrespect of the whole system. Justice Kiyani said that several applicants could be given relief in the time and resources which were being spent on just serving notices to the accused abroad. Thousands of cases are pending here but time is being wasted on this one case only, he observed.

The bench questioned whether it could write in its orders that the accused had hidden somewhere when he was making speeches. The court observed that it would move forward its proceeding under legal procedure. The bench ordered to testify Pakistan High Commission’s official Abdul Hannan through video link and also sought comments from the government regarding implementation of notices.

The court adjourned the hearing of the case till October 7. Meanwhile, the same bench accepted the NAB appeal for hearing seeking cancellation of Nawaz Sharif’s bail in Avenfield property case as well.

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