Pak anti-graft body approaches Interpol, seeks Red Corner Notices against Sharif's sons

Pakistan's apex anti-graft body has approached Interpol seeking issuance of Red Corner Notices against jailed former premier Nawaz Sharif's sons Hasan and Hussain, a media report said today.

Sharif's sons were declared as absconders by an accountability court after they failed to appear in either of the three cases launched against them along with their father following a Supreme Court decision on July 28, 2017.

The decision to issue Red Corner Notices was taken after National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal had asked the interior ministry to initiate the process of bringing back Hasan and Hussan, who have been living in London to take care of their ailing mother Kulsoom Nawaz, 'The Express Tribune' reported.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has submitted an application to the Interpol headquarters in France with the request to issue the red warrants of Hasan and Hussain, the report said, quoting sources.

The application submitted through the FIA headquarters states that Hasan and Hussain are wanted in Pakistan in corruption cases and court has already issued permanent arrest warrants against them.

Previously, the court had issued directions for separate trials of Hasan and Hussain from their father after they failed to appear before the court despite repeated orders to face the charges in line with the Supreme Court's direction in the Panama Papers case.

Earlier, while separating their trial and declaring them as "proclaimed offenders", the court ordered non-bailable perpetual warrants of arrest against them.

The court on July 6 had also sentenced former prime minister Sharif to 10 years in prison, his daughter Maryam Nawaz to seven years and son-in-law captain (retired) Safdar to one-year jail term.

The court also imposed a fine of 8 million pounds on Sharif and 2 million pounds on Maryam. No fine was imposed on Safdar.

Sharif was disqualified as Prime Minister in July 2017 by the Supreme Court following a challenge to his office by Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan on the basis of publication of the Panama Papers, which alleged that the Sharif family stashed away assets in London through offshore companies Nescoll and Nelson.

The companies are owned by Hussain. Assets in question are four expensive flats in London worth over 200 million pounds.

Hussain admitted ownership of the flats but denied that they were purchased through corruption money.