November 09, 2007	Friday	Shawwal 27, 1428

RAWALPINDI, Nov 8: An accountability court here on Thursday put off the hearing of three corruption references against Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) leader Mian Nawaz Sharif and his family till November 22 after the prosecution sought new date citing the extraordinary circumstances prevailing in the country.

Acceding to the submission of Deputy Prosecutor General National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, the accountability court No 4 Judge Khalid Mehmood adjourned the hearing in the Hudaibia Paper Mills, Itifaq Foundry and Raiwind assets cases.

On October 19, the NAB counsel had also got a new date saying he had information that the PML-N leader planned to return in the first week of November. The judge had earlier said he would adjourn the hearing sine die if no progress was made in the cases.

The cases were reopened on the plea of NAB in August after the Supreme Court observed that the PML-N leader and his brother could return to the country without any obstacle.

It may be recalled that the accountability court had refused to issue arrest warrants of the PML-N chief till his return to the country as per the Supreme Court verdict despite repeated requests by NAB.