ISLAMABAD, DEC 04 (DNA) – Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday has rejected ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s pleas seeking merger of all three National Accountability Bureau (NAB) references against him.

The court has directed accountability court to continue trial against the Sharif family.

IHC had reserved verdict over Nawaz Sharif’s plea challenging accountability court’s verdict over his petition seeking merger of Avenfield properties, Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investments references. Lawyer Azam Tarar adopted the stance that NAB rejected his client’s petition without going through the reasons mentioned in the detailed IHC order.

On November 8, accountability court rejected Nawaz Sahrif’s references merger plea and indicted him in all three corruption cases separately.

On the other hand, NAB court adjourned the hearing of references until afternoon today due to delay in IHC’s final verdict.Nawaz Sharif said, “No matter whatever verdict is announced by Islamabad High Court on unification of three NAB references, seek favorable decision on immunity from appearance plea.” He taunted that he would be disqualified in Imran Khan and Jehangir Tarin disqualification cases too.

SC disqualified Sharif from office in July over unreported sources of annual income of about $10,000, a salary the former premier denies ever receiving. The high court also ordered the NAB to investigate and conduct a trial into the Sharif family’s wider finances, including the London properties.

Sharif maintains control of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, which elected close ally Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as prime minister after Sharif was disqualified.=DNA

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