Red Corner notices sought for Sharif sons

ISLAMABAD : The Pakistan government has approached Interpol for issuing Red Corner Notices against former premier Nawaz Sharif’s sons Hasan and Hussain, who currently live in London, in connection with several anti-corruption cases.

The decision to take up the case of Sharif’s sons was made by the country’s corruption watchdog, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). Its chairman, Javed Iqbal, asked the interim government, formed to supervise last month’s election and the transition, to initiate the process of bringing back the former prime minister’s sons to face charges.

The two sons have said they are in London to take care of their ailing mother Kulsoom Nawaz, who is being treated for cancer.

An anti-corruption court has already declared Hasan and Hussain proclaimed offenders or fugi- tives in graft cases against them.

Acting on the instructions of NAB, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) submitted an application to Interpol headquarters in France to issue Red Corner Notices for Hasan and Hussain. The application stated that Hasan and Hussain are wanted in Pakistan in connection with several graft cases and a court has already issued permanent arrest warrants for them.

Earlier, the court had issued directions for separate trial of Hasan and Hussain after they failed to appear before the judge despite repeated orders to face the charges in line with the Supreme Court’s direction in the Panama Papers case.

While separating the trial of Hasan and Hussain from the other accused and declaring them fugitives, the court had ordered the start of proceedings against them under Section 87 (proclamation for person absconding) of the Criminal Procedure Code.