ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday granted eighth and final extension in deadline to an accountability court for deciding two corruption references against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif by Dec 24 and directed the defence counsel to conclude his arguments within the next 10 days.

A three-judge SC bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, had taken up the application of Judge Mohammad Arshad Malik of the trial court, see­king extension in the deadline to wrap up the Al-Azizia/Hill Metal Esta­blish­ment and Flagship Investment Company references.

“Are tales of Arabian Nights being narrated in the accountability court?” the chief justice remarked while observing that court proceedings should be time-bound before assailing the defence counsel for “prolonging the hearing”.

While pointing at defence counsel Khawaja Haris Ahmed, CJP Nisar regretted he had made the entire nation as well as the court captive. “Is this the level of your practice?” the chief justice wondered, asking what kind of “a big lawyer” the counsel was.

Chief justice assails defence counsel for prolonging proceedings in Al-Azizia, Flagship references

“Never accept a brief when you cannot conclude the case in time,” remarked the chief justice, adding that the defence counsel even had objections to court hearings on weekends.

While claiming that he was ready to quit if the SC bench wanted him to do so, the counsel asked the apex court if it had received any complaint against him from the accountability court. He insisted that he had not asked the trial court for extension. He also said that he never boasted himself as ‘a big lawyer’. Referring to the objection to hearing on Saturdays and Sundays, he said, “I do not have the same amount of energy as you have.”

At this, the chief justice observed that the counsel wanted to relinquish his arguments only to create further difficulties for the accountability court proceedings. The court would not allow the defence counsel to withdraw from the case, he added.

The counsel agreed to conclude his arguments within 10 working days but later sought three more days. The court, however, directed the counsel to complete his arguments by Dec 17, whereas the accountability court was asked to announce judgement in the two references positively by Dec 24.

On July 28, 2017, the Supreme Court while accepting the petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chair­man and now Prime Minister Imran Khan and other political rivals of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader had removed Mr Sharif from the office of prime minister and directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to file three references against the Sharif family.

In one case concerning Avenfield apartments, Judge Mohammad Bashir of the accountability court handed down a verdict that sentenced Nawaz Sharif to 10 years imprisonment, seven years jail term to his daughter, Maryam Safdar, and one year imprisonment to his son-in-law, retired captain Mohammad Safdar.

The former prime minister is now facing the Al-Azizia/Hill Metal Establishment and Flagship Investment Com­pany references before Judge Mohammad Arshad Malik of the accountability court No 2.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2018