Clubbing references: SC should give verdict in open court: Nawaz
 

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif made an appeal to the Supreme Court (SC) to issue verdict in open court on his petition seeking clubbing three references against him.
The IHC division bench on December 4 (tomorrow) would announce its verdict in a matter where former prime minister Nawaz Sharif sought joint framing of charges and joint trial in the two out of three corruption references pending against him at Accountability Court (AC).
IHC division bench reserved its judgment in this matter on November 23.
Meanwhile, defunct federal minister for finance Ishaq Dar Saturday challenged his non-bailable arrest warrants and initiation of proclamation process, through a petition before the IHC.
An Accountability Court of Islamabad on November 21 due to his non-appearance before the court issued non-bailable arrest warrants after declaring him an absconder and later initiated proclamation process against him.
Ishaq Dar challenged his non-bailable arrest warrants before IHC through his relative Rehan Bashir. In this petition, Dar nominated judge Accountability Court Number 1, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) through its chairman and NAB Investigation Officer in his corruption reference, assistant director Nadir Abbas as respondents.
The petitioner said that he was summoned by the AC to appear and face the trial in the corruption reference by the title ?Assets & Funds beyond known sources of income?. The petitioner regularly kept appearing till October 23 when AC completed recording of the statements of five prosecution witnesses and the matter was then adjourned till October 30. After October 23, petitioner led a Pakistani delegation to Tajikistan and then went to Saudi Arabia for performing Umrah. It is there he felt heaviness in chest and was constrained to go London for taking medical treatment.
That the petitioner was due to return Pakistan on November 1, when Dr Christopher Baker (Consultant Cardiologist) after thorough examination of the petitioner concluded that he had to undergo a coronary angiography. On November 2, date of hearing petitioner on medical ground sought exemption from appearing before the court but Accountability Court judge dismissed the application and issued bailable arrest warrants for him.
Apart from Dr Christopher Baker, one Dr Ranjeet Deshpandey also advised the petitioner to undergo further tests and treatment and medical reports duly verified by the Pakistan High Commission in London were produced before the Accountability Court. AC then directed NAB to verify the reports.
The petitioner alleged that NAB deliberately avoided verification of the reports considering if reports were verified, prosecution had no excuse to oppose exemption application of the petitioner. On November 14 another application seeking exemption from personal appearance was submitted before AC but the court instead issued non-bailable arrest warrants, the petitioner said.
Ishaq Dar said that he is not avoiding court proceedings deliberately but on the advice of his doctors. Owing to his medical condition, the petitioner issued a power of attorney in the name of one Rehan Bashir to act as his authorised representative so that case proceedings may not be hampered. The petitioner also filed applications to appoint pleader on each date of hearing.
The petitioner said that the AC after declaring him absconder initiated proclamation process against him that is illegal. Under section 87 of the Criminal Procedure Code, a court cannot issue proclamation unless it is satisfied that the accused is willfully avoiding proceedings of the court or genuine reasons for it.
The petitioner has requested the court to set aside AC order date November 21 through which he was declared absconder and all consequential orders for non-bailable arrest warrants and initiation of proclamation proceedings.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/com/cwEr/~4/WS0WMwAAPVE

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