Al-Azizia verdict: IHC to hear Nawaz appeal tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: A division bench of Islamabad High Court (IHC) will hear former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s appeal against the Al-Azizia verdict on January 7. A two-judge division bench, comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Aamir Farooq, will hear Nawaz’s plea. After removing objections raised by the IHC registrar, Nawaz’s defence counsel submitted a petition against the accountability court-II verdict in Al-Azizia reference. Judge Arshad Malik had sentenced Nawaz to seven years in jail along with $25 million fine in the case on Dec 24, 2018. However, he acquitted him in the Flagship Investment reference. Nawaz Sharif challenged the Accountability Court-II decision in the IHC. In his appeal, Nawaz requested the court to declare his sentence null and void and release him on bail. He argued that the accountability court’s verdict was based on incorrect interpretation of the law. The appeal further claimed the judge “betrayed his predisposition and exceeded his position as a trial judge” during the hearing.