SC rejects NAB plea to reopen Sharifs cases

RAWALPINDI â€" Special Judge Central Shaukat Ali Sajid on Wednesday dismissed an application filed by NAB seeking re-opening of corruption cases against Sharifs on non-prosecution here on Wednesday.

The NAB had sought re-opening of three references including Hudabia Paper Mills, Ittifaq Foundry and Raiwind assets against the Sharif family as they were present in the court and trial against them could be initiated. The cases were filed in 2000 and were adjourned sine die in April 2001 after the PML-N leaders left the country under a clandestine deal with the government. The cases were opened on the request of NAB in August last year when the Supreme Court had announced that Nawaz Sharif and his family could not be stopped from returning to their country.

Meanwhile, a three-judge bench of Supreme Court Wednesday grumbled that Sharif brothers were not appearing before the court despite summoned twice during the hearing of government appeals against the disqualification of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) kingpins.

The august bench seized with the hearing of these appeals comprises Justice Mohammad Moosa K. Leghari, Justice Syed Zawwar Hussain Jaffery and  Justice Sheikh Hakim Ali.