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Nawaz Sharif produced in court amid high security for corruption cases hearing
Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif was on Monday produced before the national accountability court in Islamabad.
Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif was on Monday produced before the national accountability court in Islamabad in connection with corruption cases involving him and his family. While Sharif is already serving a sentence after being convicted in Avenfield properties case, the current hearing is on Al-Azizia and Flagship corruption cases.
According to Pakistan-based Dawn News, Sharif was slated to be produced in the court during the previous hearing, but authorities decided against the same citing security concerns. The report further said that mediapersons have been barred from entering the court complex.
The case was earlier being heard by accountability court judge Mohammad Bashir, who had convicted Sharif in the Avenfield properties case. Sharif, through his lawyer, had appealed after his conviction that the remaining case be transferred to some other court.
Following this, the Islamabad High Court had transferred the cases to the court of judge Arshad Malik.
Three corruption cases were filed against Sharif and family last year following a decision by Supreme Court on July 28 of the same year. The formal trial of the Sharif family started on September 14 and was to be completed in six months but later the deadline was extended at least thrice.
Apart from Sharif, his two sons - Hassan and Hussian - are also co-accused on all three corruption cases.
The court has already declared the two sons as absconders due to their persistent failure to appear before the court. They have been blacklisted by the authorities, barring them from travelling on their Pakistani passports.
Sharif, 68, and his daughter Maryam, 44, were arrested in Lahore on July 13 on their arrival from London after an accountability court found them guilty over his family's ownership of four luxury flats in London. They were later taken to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. The former prime minister was later shifted to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad following cardiac complications.
(With PTI Inputs)