ISLAMABAD, OCT 02 (DNA) – Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday showed up for the second time before an accountability court in graft references filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in compliance with Supreme Court orders, ARY News reported.

The former prime minister arrived at the court under an extensive protocol. Special security arrangements have been made with around 2000 personnel of the Federal Police, Rangers and  Frontier Constabulary deployed outside and along the road leading to the court.

At the outset, Judge Muhammad Bashir asked where the Sharif’s children are. To which, former prime minister’s counsel said they are still in London, tending their ailing mother and requested the judge to grant them exemption from court proceedings.

NAB prosecutor submitted an implementation report, informing the judge that the warrants were duly served on the accused persons. He requested the court to issue non-bailable warrants for their arrest over their failure to turn up before it today in defiance of court orders.

The court had set Oct 2(today) for the indictment of Sharif, but it deferred the framing of charges against him.

It also issued non-bailable warrants (NBWs)

Sharif appeared before the accountability court for the second time, however, his children – Hussain, Hassan, Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law retired Capt Safdar skipped the third consecutive hearing despite issuance of bailable warrants for their arrest.

The former prime minister’s children are still in London looking after their mother Begum Kulsoom Nawaz undergoing treatment for cancer.

NAB had sent bailable warrants for their arrest to their residences in Lahore and London.