Islamabad: Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday appeared before an accountability court hearing corruption cases against him and his family, the first court appearance in the remaining two graft cases following his incarceration.
Following the hearing, the accountability court Judge Arshad Malik adjourned the hearing and summoned the investigation officer of the cases on August 15.
For the first time since his jailing, 68-year-old Sharif appeared before the Islamabad-based court for hearing in the two graft cases – the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and the Hill Metal Establishment case.
Sharif, along with his daughter Maryam, 44 and his son-in-law Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar are already serving jail terms of 10-years, seven years and one year respectively in the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, after an accountability court convicted them on July 6 over the family’s ownership of four luxury flats in London.
Sharif was brought to the court in an armoured vehicle and was taken back to the high-security jail after the hearing.
Strict security measures were taken on the occasion and authorities even banned the entry of the media.
Meanwhile, gun shots were heard outside as Sharif appeared before the court. “A shot was fired by anti-riot force policeman,” a police official said. “We are looking into the matter to know why the gun was loaded,” he added. (PTI)
