The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has written a letter to security chief of Benazir Bhutto International Airport, seeking access to flight of ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who is expected to arrive today (Thursday) from London. Sources said that NAB has sought access to flight of Sharif who is expected to return to the country through PIA flight PK-786 on Thursday. Sharif will appear before the accountability court on Friday next in three corruption references filed against him by NAB.

They said that a 10-member NAB team comprising officials of NAB Lahore and Rawalpindi will receive Sharif at the airport and ensure delivering of summons to him. The anti-graft body informed airport security chief that the accountability court on October 26 issued bailable arrest warrants against Sharif and ordered him to appear before the court on November 3.

Sources said that the airport security chief has approved the NAB letter and provided access to NAB team. The court issued arrest warrants against Sharif in two references - Flagship Investment and Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment references - and issued notice to his surety guarantor in another reference related to the Avenfield Properties.

During the last hearing, the court did not record the statements of two prosecution witnesses - Sidra Mansoor of Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and Jahangir Ahmad of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) - in the absence of accused Nawaz Sharif.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2017