Pakistan: Former PM Nawaz Sharif Clinches Legal Victory As Islamabad HC Upholds Acquittal In Al-Azizia Case

In a significant development, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has upheld the acquittal of former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption case.

The two-judge bench, headed by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, delivered the verdict after hearing Nawaz's appeal against his conviction, reported Dawn.

The Al-Azizia case was one of the two corruption cases in which Nawaz Sharif was convicted.

The case involved allegations related to the establishment of Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment in Saudi Arabia, with the Sharif family failing to justify the source of funds for the projects.

During the proceedings, Nawaz's lawyer, Amjad Pervaiz, argued that the trial court had relied on weak evidence, including civil miscellaneous applications filed by Nawaz's dependents, and an interview given by Hussain Nawaz to a private TV channel in 2016.

Pervaiz emphasised the principle that an accused is innocent until proven guilty, asserting that the burden of proof rests on the prosecution.

In response, the prosecutor Azhar Maqbool Shah defended the evidence collected during the investigation, citing statements from the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan and the Federal Board of Revenue witnesses.

The IHC's decision to uphold Sharif's acquittal adds a new chapter to Pakistan's political landscape and raises questions about the legal trajectory of corruption cases against prominent politicians.