The accountability court hearing corruption cases against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif resumed hearing of the Al Azizia reference on Monday. During the hearing headed by Judge Mohammad Bashir, Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz were granted three-day exemption from appearance for being in London to visit ailing Kulsoom Nawaz. Khawaja Harris, the counsel for Nawaz, had submitted an application for exemption for seven days along with the medical report of Kulsoom Nawaz. Harris objected to judge’s hearing of the remaining two graft references against the former premier, saying: “You already had announced the verdict against the Sharif family in Avenfield reference. As the hearing went underway, Judge Mohammad Bashir remarked that the Supreme Court’s deadline [of July 10] to conclude the cases was nearing, and it was his job to write to the apex court to increase the deadline once more. Haris argued that the judge could not hear the cases as he had already given a verdict against his client in one of the references and asked the judge to mention his objection in the letter to the apex court. He added that Nawaz and Maryam would return to the country on Friday and pleaded that the hearing be adjourned until July 16. “We wanted all the references to be decided simultaneously,” Nawaz’s counsel remarked further. The hearing was then adjourned until July 12. Moreover, Panama case Joint Investigation Team head Wajid Zia had also appeared in court for cross-examination. At the last hearing on July 3, Haris had begun Zia’s cross-examination in the case. The trial against the Sharif family had commenced on September 14, 2017. After the court’s verdict against Nawaz, Maryam and Safdar in the Avenfield reference, the remaining cases pertain to the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment, and offshore companies, including Flagship Investment Limited. Nawaz and his sons, Hussain and Hasan, are accused in all three references whereas his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Safdar are accused in the Avenfield reference only. The two brothers, based abroad, had been absconding since the proceedings began last year and were declared proclaimed offenders by the court. The court originally had a deadline of six months which ended in mid-March but was extended for two months after the judge requested the apex court. Later, the deadline was extended twice more, with the new date falling on July 10. Published in Daily Times, July 10th 2018.