ISLAMABAD: In another massive relief for the PML-N, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) yesterday acquitted former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference.

IHC division bench, consisting of Chief Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb announced the reserved verdict on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif’s appeal against his conviction in the Al-Azizia reference. The former prime minister appeared before the court along with his legal team.

Nawaz Sharif was convicted by the accountability court in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia references, however, last week he was acquitted by the IHC in the Avenfield reference.

The accountability court had awarded a 10-year jail term with eight million Pounds fine to Nawaz Sharif in the Avenfield case and 7-year sentence in Al-Azizia reference. He was also fined Rs1.5 billion and US$25 million. The court also disqualified Sharif for holding public office for 10 years.

However, in 2019, his sentence in Al-Azizia reference was suspended by the Lahore High Court (LHC) on medical grounds. He was then permitted to fly to London on medical grounds.

The IHC had declared him a proclaimed offender in both cases in December 2020. After returning from the exlie in UK, the PML-N leader filed two separate applications seeking the restoration of his appeals against his conviction in both the references.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 13 2023

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