Pakistan Supreme Court dismisses Sharif’s review plea

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday dismissed the review petition filed by ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif against his disqualification.

A five-member bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa rejected the arguments of the lawyers for Mr. Sharif and his children — Hussain, Hassan and Maryam Nawaz — that the earlier judgment of July 28 by the apex court was based on grounds that were not raised by the petitioners.

Mr. Sharif was declared disqualified for “not being truthful and honest” and for concealing information about a Dubai- based company Capital FZE owned by his son Mr. Hussain. He was the chairman of the board of directors but denied receiving any financial benefits.

The Supreme Court also asked top anti-corruption body, National Accountability Bureau (NAB), to file corruption cases against the former ruling family.

Subsequently NAB filed four cases against the Sharifs in the accountability court in Islamabad. The court has also issued summons to them to appear on the 19th of this month.

The Sharifs are now facing charges of failing to produce paper trail of their assets stashed abroad.

The assets, which include four expensive apartments in Central London, were purchased through money which was allegedly laundered from Pakistan.

But Mr. Sharif said the flats were owned by his son and never been in his ownership.

Panama papers released last year claimed that the former prime minister’s family used offshore accounts to purchase the property.