ISLAMABAD, Jul 10 (APP):Supreme Court on Tuesday granted additional six-week extension to Accountability Court to wrap up the corruption references against ousted primer Nawaz Sharif and his famiy in Alazizia and Flagship references filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
A two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard the application moved by Accountability Court Judge Mohammed Bashir seeking extension in the trial.
During course of proceedings, Khawaja Haris counsel for Sharif family, argued that the Avenfield judgment will have an impact on the other references, and requested the top court to transfer the case to another accountability judge instead of Judge Mohammed Bashir.
He pleaded that all the references were similar in nature and had almost same witnesses so the case should be transferred to another court for fair trial.
Chief Justice remarked that cases will be decided on the merit so the request of the counsel could not be entertained at this time while Justice Ejaz ul Ahsan observed that the references were not similar.
Justice Ahsan also wondered how a judge who recorded statements of all the witnesses can be changed at this stage.
“Will your relation with me improve now,” the chief justice quipped, addressing Haris. He added that NAB had asked for four weeks but the court is giving six weeks as Mr. Haris requested”.
Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar remarked, “It is being said repeatedly that the court is doing injustice. What sort of service is being done by such conversation?” Supreme Court cannot even think of being unfair, he added.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed three references against the Sharif family last year after the Panama Papers case verdict against Nawaz.
One corruption reference was filed against former finance minister Ishaq Dar. The top court ordered accountability court to conclude all the said references within six weeks.
It may added that it was fourt time when top court extended time frame for conclusion of the trials.