ISLAMABAD: Advertisements summoning Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo and former Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif in Al-Azizia and Avenfield references have been pasted outside Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday.

According to details, the copies of the ads that were published in two newspapers on October 20 were pasted on the court gate in a plastic coating. The PML-N leader has been given last chance to appear before the court till November 24 for legal proceedings.

IHC had rejected petition of the federal government seeking permission to publish proclamation of Nawaz Sharif in two leading newspapers of the United Kingdom (UK). Assistant Attorney General filed the plea in IHC asking the court to allow posting of Nawaz Sharif’s summons in British newspapers.

Earlier, IHC while directing to publish the advertisement of Nawaz Sharif’s summon in the newspapers had remarked that it should be printed in black on a quarter of the back page of the newspaper.

The text of the advertisement issued by the court stated that Nawaz Sharif is a fugitive from the IHC and he is being given one last chance to appear in the court through advertisement.

IHC had begun proceedings to declare Nawaz Sharif as proclaimed offender in Al-Azizia and Avenfield references and decided to record testimonies of the officers who were given task to implement arrest warrant of Nawaz Sharif through United Kingdom’s County Court.

IHC judge Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani remarked that Nawaz Sharif’s behavior was shameful. PML-N supremo’s departure to UK was an insult to the entire system, he said.

An accountability court on July 06, 2018 jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (r) Muhammad Safdar for 10, 7 and 1 year respectively, in Avenfield properties reference case filed by the National Accountability Bureau.

NAB’s prosecutor had argued law turns onus of proof on accused after ownership of flats [by Sharifs] has been established. He said, “The agreement of money transfer turned out to be fake. Likewise, the deed declaring Maryam Nawaz trustee was also proved fake. She possesses assets beyond her declared source of income.”

NAB prosecutor further said Sharifs had not registered ‘Calibri font’ trust deed in UK. He said, “Maryam Nawaz crafted this trust deed and declared his brother beneficial owner.” Maryam Nawaz and Captain (r) Safdar, who were candidates for the general elections 2018, were also disqualified from contesting elections for 10 years each.

The sentence and a fine of 8 million pounds, or $10.6 million, came almost a year after Supreme Court removed Sharif from office and less than five months after the court barred him from holding office for life.

Safdar was arrested by the NAB authorities in Rawalpindi on July 9 while Nawaz Sharif and Maryam were taken into custody by the officials after their flight landed at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport. They were shifted to Adiala Jail.

Afterwards, the IHC had suspended sentences of Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Captain (r) Safdar in the Avenfield reference.

Justice Athar Minallah, while announcing the verdict, had directed to release ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (r) Safdar over surety bonds worth Rs0.5 million each.

An accountability court had also handed Nawaz Sharif sentence in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference, and acquitted him in a second reference related to Flagship Investments.

In the Flagship reference, NAB had claimed that Sharif and his sons set up Flagship Investment Limited and 15 other companies and used these companies “to manage/acquire expensive properties/any movement of funds to hide the real sources of funds.” NNI