RAWALPINDI, June 19: An accountability court here on Thursday again put off the hearing in three references filed by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family.

NAB Deputy prosecutor general told the court that he had not received any directives from NAB authorities to initiate proceedings against the accused. In reply the Accountability Court No 4 Judge Khalid Mehmood observed that if NAB was not serious to initiate the trial, the case should once again be adjourned sine die.

The prosecution lawyer said the accused were present in the country and the court could issue notices to them and summon them. The Judge put off the hearing in the three corruption references— Hudaibia Paper Mills, Ittefaq Foundry and Assets references— till July 4 directing the prosecutor to take final directions form the NAB.

The court had neither summoned nor issued arrest warrants of the accused since August last year when the cases were reopened. The court has been waiting for the response of the prosecution to initiate legal proceedings in the cases that were adjourned sine die in April 2000 when the accused left the country.