LAHORE: An accountability court on Friday gave former prime minister Nawaz Sharif another exemption from personal appearance in the court in the light of medical reports submitted by his counsel during the hearing of the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case.

Advocate Amjad Pervez, the counsel, told the court that Mr Sharif was still under treatment in London and the doctors had not allowed him to travel.

He asked the court to extend exemption to Mr Sharif from personal appearance in the proceedings against him in the sugar mill case.

The court allowed the application and adjourned the hearing till March 30.

Earlier, a National Acc­oun­ta­bility Bureau prosecutor told the court that the reference was in a final stage and would be filed soon.

Mr Sharif’s nephew Yousaf Abbas, a co-suspect, who was released on bail by the Lahore High Court, also appeared before the court.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz vice president Maryam Nawaz, who is also on bail, has already been exempted from personal appearance in the court till the filing of the reference by NAB.

Another accountability court adjourned till March 13 the hearing of the money laundering/illegal assets case against Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz.

Published in Dawn, February 29th, 2020