Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's legal counsel Khawaja Harris on Monday excused himself from representing the former prime minister in the corruption references filed by NAB against the Sharif family.
While announcing his decision to withdraw his legal services to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Harris said that Supreme Court had 'dictated' for completing the trial within a month.
"As a professional lawyer, I think the arguments for all of the three references [against Nawaz and his family] could be presented together," Harris said, in a letter to the apex court, that the Supreme Court had not accepted his perspective on the three references.
On June 4, Harris requested the accountability court to jointly hear arguments for all three references against the Sharif family. He had said, "Sixty per cent of the arguments are the same in the three references."
Furthermore, Nawaz's legal counsel wrote in the letter that he was ordered to work beyond court hours by the Supreme Court. He showed his unwillingness to work on Saturdays and Sundays [weekends].
The former lawyer of Nawaz said he could not continue to work in the present conditions.
After his withdrawal from representing Sharif family in the court, accountability court Judge, Muhammad Bashir asked Nawaz if he would hire a new lawyer or convince Harris to represent him.
Responding to the question, Nawaz Sharif requested the court to adjourn the hearing for a few days for consultations over matter of his legal representation.
The hearing then adjourned for till tomorrow, June 12. The Avenfield reference hearing will also be held onthe same day.
Harris decided to withdraw after representing Sharif family for almost nine months in the corruption references against them.
Earlier on Sunday, Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, had ordered the accountability court to announce its verdict within a month, on all three corruption references against Sharif family.
The Chief Justice of Pakistan turned down Nawaz’s [former] lawyer Khawaja Harris’ plea for six weeks trial, mentioning that final verdict against the Nawaz Sharif, his sons, daughter, and son-in-law should be announced within a month.
Nawaz and his family are facing three corruption cases in the accountability court after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed references against them following the verdict Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case.
Whereas, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry said while reacting that Nawaz's counsel refusal from defending Nawaz Sharif was a tactic to escape judgment in the case.
H said, "Harris’ withdrawal from the case is an attempt by the Sharif family to escape judgment in the references filed against them."
He added, "Nawaz and his family do not have any evidence that they can present in court in their defense."
"There will be a huge question mark on the country’s justice system if a judgment is not given on the references against the Sharif family," he added further.
