Maryam arrives at court for trial in reference to London property

Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz on Thursday arrived for the first trial hearing at accountability court in Islamabad in connection with a corruption reference.

Sharif, Maryam and her husband, retired Captain Mohammad Safdar, were indicted in connection with a reference pertaining to the London-located Avenfield flats filed against them by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on October 19.

However, all three accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Sharif's sons, Hassan and Hussain Nawaz, were named co-accused in the charge sheet in the references.

Capt. Safdar arrived at the court before Maryam.

Sharif, who has also been indicted in two other references, is unlikely to appear in court today.

Yesterday, a NAB team, which had gone to collect the evidence on the Avenfield properties reportedly owned by Sharif and his family returned from London citing "partial success".

The NAB has recorded statements of those involved in conducting a forensic examination of the Calibri font used by Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz in certain documents presented in the Panama Papers case as well as certain individuals regarding the purchase of the Avenfield properties.

"However, the Bureau failed to get any help from the U.K. authorities in this regard," he said, adding that the NAB was told to utilise a 'government-to-government channel' in order to obtain the required official records.

Cases of disproportionate assets have been filed against Sharif, his sons Hassan and Hussain, daughter Maryam and son-in-law retired Captain Mohammad Safdar. The family owns Avenfield flats - 16, 16-A, 17, 17-A in Park Lane in London.

The Pakistan Supreme Court had asked the NAB to file four references against the Sharif family in connection with their Avenfield and other properties on July 28.