Nawaz Plans To Submit Appeals To IHC On 23rd October

Nawaz Sharif, the leader of the PML-N and former Prime Minister, is set to submit appeals on October 23 (Monday) in the Islamabad High Court, challenging the prison sentences he received in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption cases.

Amjad Pervez, a member of Nawaz’s legal team, has confirmed that these appeals will be lodged in the court on Monday. He mentioned that Nawaz Sharif discussed his legal matters with his lawyers during a meeting at Islamabad airport upon his return to the country. Subsequently, he signed the application to restore his appeals in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia Steel Mills cases.

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Additionally, a team from the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) was present at the airport to record Nawaz’s biometrics and provided a receipt to the legal team for submission to the court.

Members of Nawaz’s legal team, including former Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Parvez, and Qazi Misbah, met him at the Islamabad airport. Former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and other party leaders were also in attendance.

It’s important to note that in June 2021, the IHC dismissed Nawaz’s appeals against his conviction in NAB’s corruption references due to his continuous absence from court proceedings despite being on bail. The IHC judges stated that he could file an application with the IHC when he surrenders or is apprehended by authorities for a decision on the appeals.

On July 6, 2018, an accountability court sentenced Nawaz Sharif to 10 years in prison in the Avenfield reference, and on December 24, 2018, he was convicted in the Al-Azizia reference and sentenced to seven years in prison.

The IHC order noted that Nawaz had initially filed appeals against these judgments and was granted bail. However, he subsequently failed to surrender and was declared an absconder following the standard procedures for securing his attendance.