ISLAMABAD: Accountability Court-I Judge Mohammad Bashir, in a letter written to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) two days ago, has reportedly excused himself from hearing the Al-Azizia steal mills and Flagship investment references against ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family.
On July 6, Justice Bashir had announced his verdict in the Avenfield property reference awarding 10-year jail term to Nawaz, seven year to Maryam and one year to Captain (r) Safdar.
According to reports, the judge in his letter requested the IHC to shift the said references to another court or transfer him to anywhere else.
The counsel of Nawaz Sharif has also raised questions on me, wrote the judge.
However, the IHC chief justice, Justice Anwar Kasi, is on leaves these days.
An accountability court hearing corruption references against the Sharif family on July 6 sentenced ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif to 10 years in prison over his family’s purchase of London’s Avenfield apatments. Maryam Nawaz was sentenced to 7 years while her husbanand was handed one-year jail term. The court also imposed 8m pounds on Nawaz, 2m pounds on Maryam and ordered confiscation of the London properties.
The Sharif family, after being arrested upon their arrival, has filed an appeal in the IHC challenging the accountability court verdict in the Avenfield property reference.