SC to hear NAB appeal against suspension of Sharifs’ Avenfield sentence today

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan will hear the National Accountability Bureau’s appeal against the suspension of the Sharif family’s sentences in the Avenfield reference today.

A five-member bench led by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel will hear the appeal.

NAB had approached the apex court after the Islamabad High Court, on September 19, suspended sentences of former premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar in the Avenfield corruption reference and ordered their release.

The Sharifs had petitioned IHC against the Avenfield verdict, after an accountability court on July 6 convicted Nawaz, Maryam and Safdar in the Avenfield properties reference and sentenced them to 11 years, eight years and one year, respectively, in prison.

The Sharif family had filed appeals for the Avenfield verdict to be overturned on July 16.