'Sharif to skip court proceedings in Panama Papers case today'

Islamabad (Pakistan):  Pakistan’s ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif will not appear before an anti-corruption court here today to face indictment in the Panama Papers case as he is in London with his ailing wife, a senior leader has said.

The Supreme Court had disqualified Sharif, 67, as prime minister on July 28.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) registered three cases of corruption and money laundering against Sharif, his family members and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in the Islamabad Accountability Court following the verdict.

A senior leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) said that Sharif will skip the hearing today as he has not returned from London where he is busy looking after his wife Kulsoom.

“He (Sharif) has nominated a representative to appear before the court to face the indictment and deny the charges,” he said.

TV footages showed Sharif’s daughter Maryam and son-in- law captain (retired) Muhammad Safdar arriving at the court premises to attend the hearing.

They were also present during the previous hearing.

Kulsoom, who is suffering from throat cancer, has undergone three surgeries in the UK so far.

The anti-graft body NAB had frozen the bank accounts and seized properties of Sharif and his family members to put pressure on them to appear before the court.

Sharif had failed to appear on Monday before the court as he was in London with Kulsoom.

The court had set October 13 as the date of his indictment.

Sharif’s family has alleged that the cases are politically motivated. He may be jailed after the indictment.

Sharif was re-elected as the president of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on October 3 and immediately demanded that those who disqualified him should respect the people’s mandate and democracy.