Nawaz Sharif granted bail in Toshakhana case
Islamabad: (Suno News) Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday surrendered to an accountability court in Islamabad and secured bail in the Toshakhana reference.
Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir approved Nawaz Sharif’s bail plea and directed him to submit Rs1 million worth of surety bonds in the court.
The PML-N Quaid appeared before the court after four years of self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom.
Nawaz Sharif’s lawyer Muhammad Irfan appeared in the court.
قائد مسلم لیگ ن میاں نواز شریف احتساب عدالت پہنچ گئے، صدر مسلم لیگ ن میاں شہبازشریف بھی ہمراہ موجود۔ pic.twitter.com/WsHjsvT5FP
— PMLN (@pmln_org) October 24, 2023
“It’s fun to see so many people in the court,” the judge passed a light remark seeing so many people in the court. The entire courtroom burst into laughter.
“Since Nawaz Sharif has surrendered to the court, his perpetual arrest warrants can be cancelled,” the NAB prosecutor told the court.
The court issued a notice to the NAB on Nawaz Sharif’s plea seeking the release of his property in the Toshakhana case. The court sought arguments in the case on Nov 20.
Earlier, Nawaz Sharif’s lawyer filed three petitions in the accountability court.
One petition sought the release of Nawaz Sharif’s annexed property in the Toshakhana reference.
Another petition requested the court to appoint a pleader in the Toshakhana case. A third petition was filed in the court for depositing bail bonds.
Qazi Misbah-ul-Hasan Advocate filed the pleas on behalf of Nawaz Sharif.
Also, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday extended the protective bail to Nawaz Sharif until October 26 in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia cases.
The IHC extended the protective bail to Nawaz Sharif after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) declined to arrest him during the proceedings on Tuesday.
The PML-N Quaid personally appeared before the IHC division bench which took up his pleas.
Nawaz Sharif’s pleas sought protective bail and revival of his appeals against his conviction in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia cases.
The NAB prosecutor general told the court that they had no intention to arrest Nawaz Sharif.
“Will the NAB now say that the charge of corrupt practices remains [on the accused] but let him go,” Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, who heard the case, questioned the NAB prosecutor general.
“When the NAB is not opposing anything, why are the appeals being proceeded?” he questioned further.
The IHC issued a notice to the NAB and sought further clarification on the matter. Nawaz Sharif thus left the courtroom with his bail extended.
