The Sharif family on Friday pleaded the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to allow them to make the accountability court party to their petition challenging their conviction in Avenfield properties corruption reference. Counsels for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Captain (r) Safdar submitted petitions in IHC, requesting the court to make the accountability court party to their plea against the conviction. The court was hearing the Sharifs’ plea against their conviction in Avenfield reference, under which former premier Nawaz was sentenced to 10 years in prison, his daughter Maryam eight years and her husband Safdar was handed down one-year prison term, besides slapping £8 million fine on Nawaz and £2 million on Maryam. The petition also seeks the accountability court’s verdict to be declared null and void. Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court bench hearing the Sharifs’ petition against Avenfield conviction will be re-constituted as Justice Aamer Farooq going on leave. The registrar office has referred the matter to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar. Published in Daily Times, August 11th 2018.