Accountability Court Judge Mohammad Bashir said the court will indict the former prime minister, his daughter and son-in-law on October 13 and ordered to initiate proceedings to declare Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz as proclaimed offenders, besides separating their cases from rest of their family members'.
The court also issued perpetual warrants of arrest for Hassan and Hussain.
Earlier, Maryam Nawaz arrived in the court amid tight security arrangement while her husband Safdar appeared late in the court as he was brought to the court by NAB officials following his arrest in the early hours of Monday.
During the proceedings, the judge said that the two accused Hassan and Hussain are missing and Nawaz Sharif did also not appear before the court. To this, Khawaja Harris, the counsel for Sharif and his children, contended before the court that unfortunately Nawaz Sharif did not appear before the court as currently he is in London with his wife who is undergoing medical treatment. He also submitted medical report of Kulsoom Nawaz in court and application for exemption from appearance in the court.
NAB Prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar pleaded before the court to issue non-bailable arrest warrants against Nawaz Sharif as despite being a primary accused he went to London without informing the NAB. The NAB prosecutor also urged the court to declare Hassan and Hussain as proclaimed offenders as they failed to appear before the court repeatedly despite issuance of non-bailable arrest warrants.
The court while approving NAB's plea separated the trial of Hassan and Hussain and also ordered to initiate process of declaring them proclaimed offenders. The process will involve publication of notices in newspapers directing the accused to appear in court.
Harris pleaded before the court to grant bail to Safdar. The NAB prosecutor while opposing Harris' plea requested the court to send Safdar to judicial remand. However, the court rejected NAB's plea, approved bail of both Maryam and Safdar and ordered them to submit surety bonds worth Rs 5 million each.
Muzaffar also pleaded before the court to confiscate Sadar's passport. To this, the court directed Safdar not to leave the country without seeking the permission of the court. During the course of hearing, PML-N leader Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry submitted surety bonds worth Rs 5 million on behalf of Maryam.
The court after hearing arguments accepted bail of both Maryam and her husband and ordered NAB authorities to release Safdar and later he also submitted surety bonds worth Rs 5 million. Both Maryam and Safdar were also provided the copies of the reference comprising over 53 volumes.
When Harris sought exemption from appearance before the court for Nawaz Sharif, the court asked Harris whether he was requesting for exemption from one day hearing only. Harris told the court that his client has gone to London to look after his ailing wife and he should; therefore, the hearing of the case should be adjourned for 15 days. However, the court approved Harris' request regarding exemption from appearance for one day. The court also recorded the statements of three investigating officers - Deputy Director Mehboob Alam, Assistant Director Muhammad Imran and one other officer of NAB.
The NAB investigators during the proceedings informed the court that Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz left the country on July 10 and July 7, respectively. They further said that both the accused are deliberately avoiding appearance before the court. The NAB has delivered summons to both the accused on their addresses in London and Pakistan, they further said.
Maryam while talking to media persons after hearing of the case said, "Despite serious reservations, our whole family presented itself for accountability. It is a good precedent that politicians present themselves for accountability but those people should also be held accountable who make mockery of Constitution and law in this country." She added that all these cases are politically motivated and these have nothing to do with accountability.
She said, "Despite such kind of accountability, we always appear before the court." There is a different kind of law emerged in Pakistan as those who appear in court voluntarily are being arrested form the airport while absconders are running free and holding rallies, she added. "We are not the ones to be afraid of being arrested," she said, adding she knows very well what her crime is. Maryam further said that cases have been filed against her only because she is the daughter of Nawaz Sharif.
To a question about appearance of Hussain and Hassan before the court, she said that they will decide themselves in this regard. However she said that she, Nawaz and her husband appeared before the court but Hassan and Nawaz are non-residents and the country's laws do not apply on them. She said, "We had earlier surrendered before the country's law but in return Nawaz Sharif was disqualified through an already decided verdict."
Over 1,500 personnel of Islamabad police and Frontier Constabulary were deployed in and around Federal Judicial Complex housing the accountability court. All roads leading to the Complex were blocked for traffic to avert any untoward incident. After the hearing, Maryam and her husband Cap Safdar (retd) went to the house of their daughter's father-in-law, Chaudhry Muneer, in Sector F-6.
Addressing the PML-N workers there, she thanked them for supporting her. "We get courage from your passion. Without you all, we are nothing," she told the PML-N workers who were present there to welcome her.
"Our workers have done a tremendous work in NA-120 [bye-elections]. You all know whom you have defeated," she said without naming anybody. Party leaders and cabinet ministers including Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Minister for CADD Tariq Fazal Chaudhry also visited her at the residence of Chaudhry Muneer.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017