RAWALPINDI, Dec 5: An accountability court on Wednesday put off till Jan 12 hearing of corruption cases against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and seven members of his family and asked the prosecutor-general of the National Accountability Bureau to clarify if the government intended to prosecute the accused.

The NAB had filed three corruption references, allegedly money-laundering and misuse of powers against Mr Sharif and his relatives, relating to – Hudaybia Paper Mills, Ittifaq Foundry and the Raiwind estate. Judge of Accountability Court No4 Khalid Mehmood adjourned the hearing at the request of NAB’s deputy prosecutor-general Zulfiqar Bhutta, who did not opt to seek issuing of any court summons or arrest warrants against the accused.

The judge directed Dr Danishwar Malik, the bureau’s prosecutor-general, to explain the government’s stance at the next hearings. He also asked the deputy prosecutor-general to get clear instructions if the director-general could not attend the court.

The deputy prosecutor-general told Dawn that the bureau had not sought any summons against the accused because the government wanted to provide a level-playing field in the elections.

The court struck out the name of Mian Sharif from the list of the accused after NAB submitted that he had passed away.

The court observed that the legal heirs of the deceased would be responsible for any liability.