The Accountability Court on Tuesday gave Nawaz Sharif till June 19 to hire a new lawyer after khawaja Harris refused to represent Nawaz Sharif in the court.
A day earlier, Nawaz's lawyer Harris withdraw himself from further representing Nawaz Sharif in the accountability court against all three references of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Today, Nawaz Sharif appeared before the court without his lawyer.
Accountability court Judge Muhammad Bashir [who was hearing the reference] asked Nawaz if he wanted to hire another legal counsel or continue with Harris — whose recusal request has not yet been accepted.
Nawaz responded that decision was not an easy one.
He said, "A lawyer worked hard on this case for nine months; it is not an easy decision."
The former premier stated that his lawyer had informed the court of his inability to work on weekends [Saturdays and Sundays].
Nawaz told the court, "Nearly hundred attendances have been marked in the case."
He questioned, "Is this case going to be heard 24 hours a day and seven days a week? Is there any similar example?"
The accountability court then adjourned the hearing of Avenfield reference till June 14 also exempted Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif from appearing for the next hearing.
While the hearing of Al-Azizia reference was later adjourned till June 19.
Khawaja Harris' recusal
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif 's legal counsel Khawaja Harris on Monday (June 11) 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.
