Pak HC suspends arrest warrant of Nawaz Sharif in Toshakhana case

Islamabad: In a temporary relief to Nawaz Sharif ahead of his return to Pakistan on Saturday, the Islamabad High Court on Thursday granted the former prime minister a protective bail in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia corruption cases until October 24.

Also, an anti-corruption court in Pakistan suspended his arrest warrant in the Toshakhana vehicles case.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo through a counsel Qazi Mushahid approached the Islamabad-base

accountability court No. 1 on Wednesday for suspension of the permanent arrest warrant issued two years ago for failing to appear in a case about getting a vehicle from Toshakhana on concessional price.

The 73-year-old politician was convicted in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia cases and was declared a proclaimed offender in the Toshakhana vehicle case, which is pending before an accountability court in Islamabad. Nawaz was on bail in these cases when he left for the UK in 2019 for medical treatment.

The respite comes just days ahead of Nawaz Sharif’s arrival in Pakistan on October 21, ending about four years of self-exile in London.

According to the petition, Nawaz was seeking protective bail in order to surrender before the court and “submit to due process of justice and avail remedies permissible under the law”.

The plea sought the Islamabad High Court’s direction to stop authorities from arresting Nawaz from the airport on his return to the

country on October 21 to allow him to surrender before the court.