Nawaz Sharif bail plea to be filed in IHC

Islamabad: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s lawyers have prepared a miscellaneous petition for his bail, which will be filed on Monday in Islamabad High Court (IHC).

A copy of former accountability court judge Arshad Malik’s statement on oath has also been annexed with the petition, sources said.

Sharif’s counsel Khawaja Haris will present his arguments on the statement of former judge Arshad Malik.

Sharif’s lawyers have prepared petition, which will seek suspension of his sentence and plead for releasing him on bail till hearing of the main case.

The IHC has constituted a division bench to hear an appeal filed by Nawaz Sharif against his conviction in the Al-Azizia reference.

The bench, consisting of Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, will hear the appeal on Sept 18.

This will be the first hearing of Sharif’s appeal since the controversy regarding the leaked video of judge Arshad Malik emerged in July, which will likely to bring forward new points to be discussed in the case hearing.

The former prime minister was convicted in the Al-Azizia reference by the accountability court for seven years.

Earlier, the high court had turned down a plea seeking release of of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on medical grounds.

Sharif is currently serving a jail term of 7-years at Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore on being proven guilty in Al-Azizia reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).