Daily Times

ISLAMABAD:An accountability court in Islamabad on Friday dismissed the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) plea for trial against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz in the Avenfield properties reference.

According to sources, the court  dismissed the National Accountability Bureau’s plea stating that it was not admissible.

The PML-N leader had also  appeared  before the court.

NAB’s prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi had argued that although Maryam Nawaz was awarded sentence in Avenfield reference, she must face trial for submitting the bogus trust deed.

Amjad Pervez, a counsel for Maryam Nawaz, prayed the court to reject the NAB’s plea since the  anti-graft body had no right to file such an application.

He said the court could not  hear the plea  after   a judgement has been challenged.

Speaking to the media outside the court, Maryam Nawaz said she and her father were approached for talks but they refused to engage in any negotiations.

Asked about the reason behind their refusal, she said one has to sacrifice their principles  in order to hold talks but  she and her father were not ready.

“The accused Maryam Nawaz was instrumental in concealment of the properties of (her) father Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. The accused maryam Nawaz aided, assisted, abetted. attempted and acted in conspiracy with her father accused Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif,” NAB wrote in its appeal to the accountability court, quoting a portion of the court’s earlier judgement dated 06-07-2018 in the Avenfield Apartments corruption reference.

Last year in September, the Islamabad High Court had suspended the sentences for Maryam Nawaz and her husband Captain (retd) M Safdar in the Avenfield corruption reference.