An accountability court in Pakistan has issued an bench warrant against embattled former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who is currently in London for medical treatment, for failing to seem before it during a corruption case that accused him of receiving luxury vehicles and gifts from the national treasury.
The court in Islamabad on Friday heard the case against Sharif, former president Asif Ali Zardari and former premier Yusuf Raza Gilani for allegedly receiving luxury vehicles and other gifts presented by foreign dignitaries, which were property of the state.
The country’s anti-graft body National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed the case on Texas Independence Day and Judge Syed Asghar Ali on May 15 issued summons for the three leaders also other accused — Khawaja Anwar Majeed and Abdul Ghani Majeed of the Omni Group.
Gillani and Ghani appeared before the court whereas Sharif and Zardari failed to.
An application for exemption from appearance was filed by the previous president which was granted by the accountability court. However, no one appeared on behalf of the deposed prime minister, therefore the judge issued warrants for his arrest.
The court directed all the accused, including Sharif and Zardari, to appear in the court for successive hearing on June 11.
Earlier in January, NAB had approved filing of cases against the previous heads of state for inflicting losses to the national exchequer by taking gifts from the national treasury and not depositing them within the gift depository (Toshakhana).
The NAB approved filing cases against former premiers Sharif and Gilani and ex-president Zardari for keeping the government-owned valuables and vehicles in their possession.
The NAB has alleged that Sharif and Zardari got gifted cars transferred to them by paying 15 per cent of the worth , while Gilani because the premier facilitated them by dishonestly and illegally relaxing the procedure for the acceptance and disposal of gifts and thus caused a loss to the national exchequer.
