Dawood Ahmed:
Four years after the trial, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) acquitted Pakistan Muslim League (N) Vice-President Maryam Nawaz and her husband Captain (R) Safdar in the Avenfield properties corruption reference on Thursday afternoon. The IHC overturned the verdict against the PMLN leader and her husband that was announced in 2018 against them.
A two-member bench, comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, presided over today’s hearing during which the court heard arguments from both sides.
During today’s hearing, Justice Farooq observed that the Sharif family’s stance was that they had bought the properties in 2006. “Despite their admission, Nawaz is not related [to the case],” he remarked.
Justice Kayani also observed that on the basis of these documents, the NAB had prepared the entire case against Maryam. “In the entire case by the NAB, there is no [mention] of Nawaz,” Justice Farooq noted.
Justice Farooq remarked that property in a daughter’s name did not necessarily mean that it was owned by the father.
The NAB prosecutor contended that the Sharif family had not submitted any documents in its defense.
