Share this story!            

Nawaz cleared in chopper case

* Two-member LHC bench declares accountability court verdict null and void
* Zardari, Gilani congratulate Nawaz Sharif

By Aamir Yasin

RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday acquitted former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the helicopter reference case.

Justice Tariq Shamim and Justice Saeed Ijaz declared an earlier accountability court verdict null and void. They announced their short order after hearing the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief’s plea against his conviction in the case, and examining his written request to condone the excessive time taken to file an appeal against the conviction.

In July 2000, an accountability court had sentenced Nawaz to 14 years imprisonment, penalised him with an Rs 50 million fine, and disqualified him from holding any public office for 21 years after finding him guilty of tax evasion and fraudulent purchase of a helicopter.

During the proceedings on Friday, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Prosecutor General Baseer Qureshi contested the claims of Nawaz’s counsel that the PML-N chief did not own a Russian MI-8 helicopter used during the mid-90s election campaign. He also objected to Nawaz’s plea to allow the late filing of the appeal, claiming the former prime minister had deliberately avoided approaching a court of law for appeal within the stipulated time.

The NAB counsel also denied that Nawaz had been denied consultation with his lawyer at Attock Jail in 2000, adding the former premier had met his lawyers twice during the proceedings. However, he admitted that Nawaz had been barred from meeting his lawyers and the party leadership simultaneously.

In response, Nawaz’s lawyer Khawaja Haris claimed the helicopter in question was the property of Sheikh Abdul Rehman Al-Sani of Qatar. He said NAB had failed to summon Al-Sani as a witness in the case. He also alleged that the accountability court concerned had sentenced his client without considering the case in full, and had thus failed to ensure the provision of justice.

Congratulations: Following the verdict, President Asif Ali Zardari congratulated Nawaz on his acquittal, and hoped the verdict would allow the PML-N chief to participate in the electoral process. Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said the president hoped the verdict would allow Nawaz to help strengthen parliamentary democracy. “The president believes in reconciliation and a level playing field for all political forces and the verdict advances these objectives,” he added. In a separate statement, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani congratulated Nawaz on his exoneration. He said the judicial decision was a good omen for democracy, adding this proved the judiciary was fully independent, Online reported.

Home | Main

Share this story!