Daily Times

During the proceedings, the court has declared Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif as a proclaimed offender over his continuous absence.

The court further sought details of Sharif’s movable and immovable properties, and asked them to be presented in court within seven days. The process of his arrest and subsequent presentation in court was also asked to be clarified.

Judge Asghar Ali further warned that the former premier’s properties will be frozen if he failed to appear before the court.

Objecting to the indictment, former prime minister Gilani came on to the rostrum himself to present his stance. He said he never did anything against the rules. “Only a summary that came according to the law was approved. Had the summary been wrong, it would not have been moved,” he maintained.

The Accountability Court indicted former president Asif Ali Zardari and ex-Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani in the Toshakhana reference.

The court has also sought a record of Nawaz Sharif’s properties in seven days and directed to seize them. NAB had alleged Zardari and Nawaz Sharif received luxury cars through illegal ways thorough the gift depository facilitated by Gillani.

Zardari had only paid 15 percent cost of the cars by using his fake accounts, however, Libya and United Arab Emirates (UAE) also gifted him cars when he was serving as president, NAB prosecutor told.

NAB official claimed that Asif Ali Zardari used these cars for his personal work instead of submitting them to Toshakhana.

Nawaz Sharif got car without any application in 2008 when he was not holding any public office, the anti-corruption watchdog’s representative stated.

The court adjourned the hearing till September 24 after ordering NAB to present its witnesses – Waqar-ul-Hassan Shah, Zubair Siddiqui and Imran Zafar – at the hearing.