INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
SC extends timeframe to conclude graft cases against Sharif family till June 9ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court
Wednesday granted a one month extension to the Accountability Court (AC) of Islamabad to conclude references against former prime minister
AC Judge Mohammed Bashir seeking second three-month extension in the deadline to conclude the cases.The last deadline given by the apex
Accountability Bureau (NAB) in pursuance to the SC verdict in the Panama Papers case, inquired from the counsels of the litigants that as to
why the trials had not yet been concluded.NAB prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi informed the bench that the trial in one reference regarding
the Avenfield property had been concluded from their side.Justice Ahsan then asked whether the verdict in the reference in which arguments
had been concluded, would be given separately from the other two references or the decision in all the references would be delivered at the
same time.Khawaja Haris, counsel for Nawaz Sharif, replied that the trial court had already decided that it would announce the verdict in
all three references on the same day.To a bench query, Khawaja Haris apprised the court that at least three months should be given for a
fair trial.As the holy month of Ramazan was around the corner, a three-month extension should be given, he added.Justice Azmat observed that
the counsel could come to them again if the trial would not conclude in a month, however, there would be no compromise on delivering
justice.Justice Ahsan remarked that the rights of the accused would be safeguarded at all costs and cited Article 10-A of the
Constitution.The accountability court is hearing three references pertaining to Avenfield London property, Al-Azizia Steel Mills and
Flagship Investments filed by the NAB against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members.Earlier in March, the top court had
granted the two-month extension in original six-month deadline to the trial court for wrapping up the cases.
