Pak court adjourns Sharif family's accountability hearing until Nov 7

An accountability court adjourned the hearing against ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law retired Captain Safdar in connection with the corruption references filed against them by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

It was for the first time that Sharif, Maryam and Safdar were present in court together.

Sharif had arrived in Islamabad on Thursday to attend the hearing from London, where he had gone to see his ailing wife Kulsoom Nawaz.

Sharif's lawyer Khawaja Haris on Friday filed a fresh application before the court for the clubbing of the three accountability references naming Sharif, the Dawn reported.

Earlier, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday requested the accountability court to provide a long order explaining the legal reasons behind its decision not to club the three references together after Harris had approached the IHC seeking the clubbing together of the references.

The accountability court judge during Friday's hearing said that he would have to review the IHC's orders before he provided a detailed response on the matter.

The court did not receive the IHC's order and subsequently decided to adjourn the hearing until November 7.

Last week, the accountability court had issued the bailable arrest warrants against Sharif in connection with the cases related to two of his properties.

The court had also his daughter Maryam Nawaz and her husband Captain Mohammad Safdar with a reference pertaining to flats.

Sharif was also indicted separately in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment cases.

However, all the three accused had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Sharif's sons, Hassan and Hussain Nawaz, were named co-accused in the charge sheet in the references.

Cases of disproportionate assets have been filed against Sharif, both of his sons, daughter Maryam and son-in-law retired Captain Mohammad Safdar.

The Pakistan Supreme Court had asked the NAB to file references against the Sharif family in connection with their Avenfield and other properties on July 28 and directed the trial court to decide the references within six months.