ISLAMABAD - Nawaz Sharif has hired a new legal team led by Jahangir Jadoon to represent him in the corruption trial, though Jadoon says the deposed prime minister is still trying to convince his former lawyer Khawaja Haris to represent him at the accountability court.
On the other hand, the accountability court on Thursday gave last warning to the counsel for Maryam Nawaz and Capt (r) Muhammad Safdar, Amjad Parvez, to make conclusive arguments in the Avenfield properties reference on June 19.
During the hearing, Barrister Jahangir Jadoon submitted his power of attorney on behalf of Nawaz Sharif in the corruption references filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Jadoon has represented Nawaz in multiple cases and he also heads the legal wing of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. He has also been a regular attendant of the accountability court proceedings against the Sharifs.
Barrister Jadoon informed Judge Muhammad Bashir that his client was still in contact with his former defence counsel Khawaja Harris to convince him to take his case again and defend him.
Harris along with his team had recused from the case saying he could not work under “so much pressure”, after his request for extending the time for trial was rejected by the SC and he was asked to also appear in the accountability court on Saturdays and Sundays.
As the court resumed the hearing in the Avenfield properties reference, Cap (r) Safdar appeared while an application on behalf of Maryam and Nawaz was filed a seeking one-day exemption from personal appearance.
The counsel of Maryam and Safdar, Amjad Pervez did not appear in the court citing ailment. His assistant Muhammad Aurangzeb informed the court that Pervez could not attend the proceedings owing to bad health.
On this, NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi contended that the defence counsel was employing delaying tactics to prolong the hearings.
He also said that the defence counsel had committed to concluding final arguments today (Thursday) but he did not appear in the court on pretext of illness.
The NAB official said that the defence side was resorting to theatrics and if the defence counsels were not interested in the case, the court should invite the accused to defend themselves in the corruption references.
Assistance defence counsel Aurangzeb contended that the defence counsel had always been cooperating in the past but the prosecutor was making a fuss over his absence without being considerate about his health.
Abbasi also contended that Jadoon has submitted his power of attorney on behalf of Sharif family and the court should allow him to present his arguments in this particular case.
The judge remarked that Jadoon had been appearing in the court since the very first day when the corruption references were filed in the court and he was a regular listener of the court proceedings, so, he must have a sound knowledge of this very particular case.
On this, Jadoon said that he simply got the instructions to represent the hearing to file a petition seeking an exemption for his client from today’s hearing.
Further hearing in the Avenfield properties reference was adjourned until June 19.
