Staff Reporter
Islamabad
An accountability court in Islamabad has issued arrest warrants for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the Toshakhana reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau after no one appeared on his behalf to represent him in Friday’s hearing.
The accountability court was hearing a reference filed against former prime ministers Yousuf Raza Gilani, Nawaz Sharif and ex-president Asif Ali Zardari.
During the hearing, former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani appeared before the court. However, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and ex-president Asif Ali Zardari did not appear despite the summons issued to them. NAB during the hearing asked judge Syed Asghar Ali to issue arrest warrants for Nawaz Sharif , Asif Zardari and Abdul Ghani Majeed.
“Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari had received their summons at their houses,” the NAB prosecutor told the court. He added that the Anwar Majeed could not receive the summons as he was under treatment at a hospital.
However, the defendants’ lawyer interjected and stated that Yousuf Raza Gilani and Abdul Ghani Majeed were represented before the court. He added that if the accused are present then they ought to be allowed to leave after recor
“Asif Ali Zardari is under treatment at a hospital,” said the former president’s lawyer while filing a plea seeking his client be excused from appearing in today’s hearing.
The judge also asked about the details of who had appeared on behalf of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. However, the NAB prosecutor told the court that no one had appeared on his behalf.
The court after hearing the arguments issued arrest warrants for Sharif and accepted the plea filed by Zardari’s lawyer.
“I’m only excusing Asif Ali Zardari for today’s hearing,” remarked the judge while issuing the orders. He added that the former president has to appear before the court at all costs in the next hearing and summoned all the accused to appear before the court on June 11. The accountability court also rejected NAB’s plea to arrest former prime minister Gilani and Abdul Majeed Ghani.
