Sharif, sons to defy NAB summons order

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his two sons will show defiance by skipping the National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) investigation meeting on Friday into the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case till the Supreme Court decides on his review petition against the apex court's July 28 verdict to disqualify him from office.

Sharif had been advised by some of the hawks in his party to not 'simply cooperate' and appear before NAB, like he had done with the Joint Investigation Team constituted by the SC in the Panama Papers case. "It is time to show some defiance," he said.

In a statement issued here late on Thursday night, ruling PML-N Senator Asif Kirmani said neither Nawaz Sharif nor his sons would appear before NAB in Lahore on Friday. They had not received any summons from NAB,the Dawn quoted Kirmani as saying he added.

Earlier this week, Sharif had filed three petitions in the Supreme Court to review and stay further implementation of the Panama Papers case verdict which had resulted in his disqualification.

"Mian Nawaz Sharif and his children have decided not to appear before NAB till a verdict on his review petition in the SC is decided. Sharif has sought a stay of the NAB proceedings and till the apex court decides his petition there is no point in his joining the NAB investigation in cases against him," Dawn quoted close aide of Sharif as saying.

The NAB official said this would be the first of many cases which is being investigated on the allegation against the Sharif's family which could have repercussions for former prime minister's politics as well as for the country's political scene for long.

Independent commentators say the probe into large-scale corruption allegations against Sharif and his family could set the standard for accountability in Pakistan for all times to come.

There are several cases involving investigation by NAB, including the affairs of many sugar mills.

On July 28, a five judge larger bench of the Supreme Court while disqualifying Sharif under Article 62(1)( f) of the Constitution had asked NAB to file four references in the Rawalpindi accountability court within six weeks on the basis of the material collected and referred to by the Joint Investi­gation Team (JIT) as well as that already available with the Federal Investi­gation Agency and NAB.

According to the court order, NAB has to file a reference against Mr Sharif; his children Maryam Safdar, Hussain and Hassan Nawaz; and son-in-law retired Capt Muhammad Safdar relating to four upscale flats in London.

Another reference against Sharif and his sons about Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment and one regarding 16 other companies were also ordered. The companies are Flagship Investments, Hartstone Pro­perties, Que Holdings, Quint Eaton Place 2, Quint Saloane, Quaint, Flagship Securities, Quint Gloucester Place, Quint Paddington, Flagship Develop­ments, Alanna Ser­vices (BVI), Lankin SA (BVI), Chadron, Ansbacher, Coomber and Capital FZE (Dubai).

The fourth reference has to be filed against Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for possessing assets and funds beyond his known sources of income. The official told Dawn that NAB would take up the reference against Mr Dar on Aug 23.