Nawaz Sharif’s plea for acquittal in Toshakhana reference put off till May 28

ISLAMABAD -The hearing on Nawaz Sharif’s appeal for acquittal in a reference involving the acquisition of a vehicle from Toshakhana was extended on Thursday by the Accountability Court until May 28.

Nasir Javed Rana, an Accountability Court judge, presided over the session, during which the former prime minister was represented by lawyers Qazi Misbahul Hassan and Rana Muhammad Irfan.

Khawaja Manzoor Lone, a prosecutor from the National Accountability Bureau, told the court that Sohail Arif, another prosecutor, will offer arguments in the current case.

At this point, Nawaz Sharif’s lawyer, Qazi Misbahul Hassan, indicated that his client had submitted the acquittal plea based on the NAB report, to which the judge responded, “What was the notice? First and foremost, we shall review the NAB’s reaction.

At this point, the court took a break.

On resumption, the NAB prosecutor, while informed the court that the [case] file had not yet arrived at NAB headquarters, begged for the case to be adjourned.

Later, the court postponed the hearing until May 28.

Former Prime Minister Sharif filed the appeal with the accountability court on May 7, seeking acquittal in a reference involving the purchase of a vehicle from Toshakhana.

On April 17, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) cleared the former prime minister in the Toshakhana automobile case.