ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad is scheduled to announce its verdict today (Monday) in the Flagship Investments and Al-Azizia Steel Mills references against the Sharif family ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
Accountability court II, presided over by Judge Mohammad Arshad Malik, had reserved its judgment in both references on December 19.
Entry to the court has been restricted and security across the city has been beefed up. No one will be allowed to attend proceedings on Monday except those having permission of the registrar. Rangers and police officials have been deployed around the court premises.
In a show of power and solidarity, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party leaders and workers have gathered outside the court premises to show their support. PML-N Spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb and veteran politician Javed Hashmi have also reached the court premises.
The former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif arrived in Islamabad on Sunday, for the verdict in the remaining two corruption references filed against the Sharif family being announced by an accountability court on Monday.
Upon his arrival in Islamabad, the PML-N Supremo met with his brother and party president Shahbaz Sharif and other senior party representatives and legal aides.
On July 28, 2017, the SC in its verdict in the Panama Papers case disqualified then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from his position and directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to file three references against the Sharif family’s Avenfield Properties, Al-Azizia Steel mills and Flagship Investment.
In September 2017, NAB filed three references and on July 6, 2018, an accountability court, presided over by Judge Mohammad Bashir in the Avenfield reference, sentenced Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar Awan to 11 years, eight years and one year in prison respectively.
In the remaining two references — the UK-based Flagship Investment Limited and Al-Azizia Steel Mills — Judge Arshad Malik reserved the verdict on December 19, later announcing December 24 as the day on which the verdict would be announced. The judge reached Accountability Court II on Sunday to write the verdict.
Hassan Nawaz Sharif, the former premier’s youngest son, set up an investment firm in 2001 by the name of Flagship Investment Limited with an office registered in the United Kingdom. At the time he was 25-years-old. The court, in this case, was tasked to determine the source of Hasan’s income to set up the investment firm.
With regards to Al-Azizia Steel Mills, Hussain Nawaz Sharif, the deposed prime minister’s older son, claimed that he received a sum of $5.4 million from his grandfather to establish the steel conglomerate in Saudi Arabia. The payment was made by a Qatari royal on the request of the older Sharif. Thereafter, scrap machinery was transported from their Ahli Steel Mills in Dubai to Jeddah to establish Al-Azizia in 2001.
Sharif gets verdict in graft cases against him today
Sharif gets verdict in graft cases against him today
- Accountability court will announce joint verdict in two graft cases against him
- He is already convicted in Avenfield case and is out on bail
Pakistan military says ex-PM Khan’s narrative has become ‘threat to national security’
- Military spokesperson responds to Khan’s fresh criticism of Pakistan’s powerful army chief, whom he accuses of denying him basic rights
- Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry warns army will “come bare knuckle” if Khan and his party do not desist from attacking military leadership
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said on Friday that former prime minister Imran Khan’s narrative against the armed forces has become a “national security threat,” warning him and his party to keep the army out of political statements.
Chaudhry’s criticism comes in response to Khan’s latest statement, released by his account on social media platform X on Thursday, in which he blamed Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir for “the complete collapse of the constitution and rule of law in Pakistan.”
Khan, who was ousted via a parliamentary vote in April 2022, blames the country’s powerful army for colluding with his political rivals to keep him away from power. He blames the military and the incumbent government for keeping him in solitary confinement in a central prison in Rawalpindi. Pakistan’s military and the government have strongly rejected his claims.
“It may seem to you a bit strange coming from me this because that person [Khan] and the narrative he is pushing, it has become a national security threat,” Chaudhry told reporters at a news conference.
“And that is why it is very important that we come clear, without any ambiguity, without any doubt. We need to come clear and we need to say what needs to be said,” he added.
Throughout the press conference, Chaudhry kept referring to the former prime minister as a “mentally ill” person. He played video clips of Indian news channels and Afghanistan’s social media accounts promoting Khan’s statements against the military.
“Why would they not do it? Because sitting in your country, a mindset, a mentally ill person sitting here is saying these things against the military and its leadership,” he said.
The military spokesperson warned Khan and his party against criticizing the military. He added that while the military welcomes constructive criticism, it should be kept away from political statements.
“If someone for the sake of his own self, his delusional mindset and narcissistic thinking attacks this armed forces and its leadership, then we will also come bare knuckle,” he warned.
“There should be no doubt on that.”
Khan, who remains in prison on a slew of charges that he says are politically motivated, continues to be popular among the masses.
His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has frequently led rallies to demand his release from jail, including one in May 2023 and another in November 2024 that saw clashes with law enforcement personnel.
While the former prime minister continues to remain behind bars, rallies organized by the PTI still draw thousands of people across the country and his party still enjoys a sizable following on social media platforms.
