Sharif and daughter seek delay of verdict

Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz submitted applications in the accountability court yesterday seeking a seven-day delay in the announcement of the verdict in the Avenfield corruption reference.

The application came a day before the court was set to announce the verdict after reserving the verdict earlier.

The counsel for Sharif family requested a sevenday exemption from accountability proceedings as the father and daughter are currently in London to attend to the ailing Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, wife of Nawaz Sharif.

Poor health

In the applications compiled on behalf of Nawaz Sharif and his daughter, Maryam, the counsel cited Begum Kulsoom Nawaz’s poor health as the reason for the family’s request to postpone the verdict.

“The doctors treating Maryam’s mother have opined that the condition of Begum Kulsoom is improving and that they planned to reduce her sedation on July 4 and wake her over the next 48 hours,” read the petition submitted by the defence counsel Amjad Parvez. “Furthermore, the doctors advised that the continuous presence and support of the family will help her [Begum Kulsoom]” it added.

Sharif and his daughter said they attended almost all hearings since the commencement of the trial and thus wanted to be present in court when the judgement was announced.