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Maryam Nawaz, Safdar appear before Islamabad NAB court

By : ANI | Updated at : 19 Oct 2017 12:00 PM (IST)

Islamabad [Pakistan], Oct.19 (ANI): Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter, Maryam Nawaz, and her husband, retired Captain Mohammad Safdar, are appearing before an accountability court here today.

A National Accountability Bureau (NAB) court had adjourned the hearing of graft cases against the Sharif family after a number of lawyers associated with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) forced their way into the court and surrounded the judge's bench on October 13.

The hearing is in connection with the corruption reference filed against them by the NAB.

The court may indict the Sharif family in the London properties reference today even though Nawaz Sharif and the lead defence counsel Khawaja Haris Ahmed are both out of the country.

While the charges against Maryam and Safdar would be framed in person, the court may indict Sharif through a pleader, who is a junior lawyer in the defence team as the former prime minister and his lead defence counsel are abroad, the Dawn quoted defence lawyer, as saying.

Soon after ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar arrived in the court, PML-N lawyers and supporters created a racket, the Dawn reported.

Earlier on October 9, after appearing before the court, Maryam had said that she was not afraid of getting arrested.

After hearing arguments from the prosecution, the court accepted the bail of both Maryam and her husband. The judge ordered the NAB authorities to release Capt. Safdar after he too submitted surety bonds worth Rs. 5 million.

The court had also issued perpetual warrants for the arrest of Nawaz Sharif's two sons, and separated their trial from other members of the family. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI

Published at : 19 Oct 2017 12:00 PM (IST)