Nawaz Sharif likely to be indicted on October 9

Islamabad: Pakistans ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday appeared before an anti-corruption court for the second time in a week but his indictment was postponed till October 9 as his children, who are also been named in the high-profile Panama Papers case, failed to appear in court.

Mr Sharif, who was ousted as the Premier by the Supreme Court in July, faces references pertaining to London flats, Nelson, Nescom, Hill Metal and Azizia Steel Mills. Justice Mohammad Bashir heard the references pertaining to the cases.

The NAB prosecutor told the court that Mr Sharif’s children and son-in-law were deliberately skipping the hearing as their arrest warrants were sent to the London authorities over which the court issued non-bailable arrest warrants for his sons, son-in-law and bailable warrant for his daughter.

The court has also decided to hear cases against Mr Sharif, who was not indicted in Monday’s hearing due to the absence of his children, in separate trials.

Subsequently, the hearing was adjourned till October 9. Later, speaking to reporters, state minister Mohsin Shah Nawaz Ranjha said that Mr Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Mohammed Safdar will attend the next hearing as Ms Maryam was in London for the treatment of her mother.

Ahead of the hearing, several Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leaders including interior minister Ahsan Iqbal, Talal Chaudhry, Raja Zafarul Haq, federal minster for railways Saad Rafique, Pervez Rashid, Asif Kirmani and Hanif Abbasi were stopped at court’s gate while Maiza Hameed and Daniyal Aziz were allowed to participate in the hearing. Journalists were also barred from entering the court.

On the occasion, strict security arrangements were ensured as Rangers took control of the situation without the orders of interior minister over which Ahsan Iqbal expressed resentment and announced to launch investigation. He said that Chief Commissioner informed about the Rangers deployment around the court in the morning.

On September 26, Nawaz Sharif had short appearance before the court after which he was granted permission to leave to attend his ailing wife who is undergoing treatment for lymphoma.

The court had also issued bailable arrest warrants for Sharif’s children Hassan, Hussain and Maryam Nawaz along with his son-in-law Mohammed Safdar over failing to attend the hearing.

Mr Sharif has faced such challenges before. In 1993 he was sacked from his first term as prime minister for corruption, while in 1999 he was sentenced by a military court to life in prison after his second tenure ended in an army coup. That time he was allowed to go into exile in Saudi Arabia, returning in 2007 before winning the premiership for a third time in 2013.