ISLAMABAD: In less than a month after replacing the lead prosecutor, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has appointed another special prosecutor to counter the appeal filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz Sharif against her conviction in the Avenfield apartments reference.

       The newly appointed special prosecutor, Imtiaz Siddiqui, is a senior lawyer based in Lahore and has vast experience in handling corporate, banking and tax-related matters.

       Sources said Advocate Siddiqui would appear before a two-member Islamabad High Court (IHC) bench, comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, on Monday (today) and would lead the prosecution.

       He has been appointed in less than a month after NAB had brought a private lawyer, Mohammad Azhar Siddique, as its lead prosecutor for Ms Sharif’s case.

       Mr Siddique had put a single appearance before the IHC bench last month and sought a month-long adjournment to prepare arguments. The hearing was then adjourned until March 21 (today).

       He had replaced Barrister Usman Cheema, also a private lawyer who had been appointed by NAB as its special prosecutor.

       Prosecutor Cheema skipped a couple of hearings and then sought another adjournment for being Covid-19 positive. However, after recovery he recused himself from the case.

       Earlier in September, NAB started pursuing the appeal vigorously and even filed an application seeking day-to-day hearings. But the bureau started seeking frequent adjournments after the IHC bench raised questions on the admissibility of the evidence produced before the trial court against Ms Sharif.

       Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2022