Appeals of Nawaz, Maryam and Safdar fixed for hearing on May 25

According to details, the hearings over the appeals of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (Retd.) Muhammad Safdar have been fixed in connection with Azizia, Avenfield and Flagship references.

Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar of the Islamabad High Court will hear the appeals and IHC has issued the case list.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (supremo) Nawaz Sharif, PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz and Captain Safdar have filed an appeal against the sentence in the Avenfield reference. Nawaz Sharif has also filed an appeal against the sentence in the Azizia reference.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has filed an appeal against Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Captain Safdar to increase their sentences in the Avenfield and Azizia references and against the acquittal in the flagship reference.

Al Azizia Reference

Azizia Steel Mills Reference was established by Nawaz Sharif's son Hussain Nawaz during his deportation to Saudi Arabia in 2001 after which the Hill Metal Establishment Company was established in 2005. In its reference, the NAB had alleged that Nawaz Sharif was the real owner of Steel Mills and Hill Metal Company, while Joint Investigation Team (JIT) in its report said that Nawaz Sharif received 97% benefits from Hill Metal Establishment Company as a gift.

Flagship reference

Flagship reference is related to Nawaz Sharif's offshore companies and one of those companies was Capital FZE of which Nawaz Sharif was the chairman. The Supreme Court had disqualified Nawaz Sharif on the basis of the chairmanship of the same company. In this reference, the NAB also alleged that former premier was taking the real benefits of the flagship companies and he is the owner of these companies.

Avenfield reference

The Avenfield reference was to the Sharif family's flats in London in which the accountability court sentenced Nawaz Sharif to 10 years, his daughter Maryam Nawaz to 7 years and son-in-law Capt (Retd.) Muhammad Safdar to one year imprisonment. The sentence was later suspended by Islamabad High Court.