The stage is set for&nbsp;former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif's political comeback as the Islamabad High Court on Tuesday (Dec 12)&nbsp;acquitted him in the&nbsp;Al-Aziziya reference case, according to a report in Dawn.&nbsp;

The two-judge bench of IHC, comprising Chief Justice&nbsp;Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb announced the verdict.&nbsp;

The 73-year-old chief of&nbsp;the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz)&nbsp;party had filed pleas in the IHC, challenging his conviction in the Avenfield property and Al-Azizia cases. He was acquitted of the former in November by the same bench.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/nawaz-sharif-mending-relations-with-neighbours-crucial-for-pakistan-668249">Watch |&nbsp;Nawaz Sharif: 'Mending relations with neighbours crucial for Pakistan'</a>

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<h2>What is the&nbsp;Al-Azizia graft case?</h2>

The Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference pertains to a case in which Nawaz was sentenced to seven years in jail&nbsp;on Dec 24, 2018. He was also fined $25 million. The Sharifs were unable to clarify the source of funds provided to set up&nbsp;Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment (HME) in Saudi Arabia.

In 2019, the Lahore High Court (LHC) suspended his sentence and allowed Nawaz to go abroad for medical treatment. Subsequently, he went to London on November 19, 2019, and since then, never returned.

<h2>What next for Sharif?</h2>

Although acquittal in both cases has paved way for Sharif's return to Pakistan's polity, he still has another hurdle to cross. He remains disqualified from holding office by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case. The apex court, while interpreting Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution&nbsp;ruled that the disqualification is for life.&nbsp;

<a href="Pakistan ex-PM Nawaz Sharif acquitted in corruption cases ahead of general elections">Also read |&nbsp;Pakistan ex-PM Nawaz Sharif acquitted in corruption cases ahead of general elections</a> 
 
Sharif, holed up&nbsp;in London since 2019, has been looking to make a comeback for a long time. The whispers surrounding his return to Pakistan soil have been doing the rounds since November last year when he was issued a five-year diplomatic passport by the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Nawaz's presence is expected to boost the fortunes of PML-N as the party leaders believe that his presence is necessary to stop the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party which has the public sentiment behind it, ever since the former cricketer's imprisonment. The general elections are scheduled to be held early next year.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The stage is set for former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif's political comeback as the Islamabad High Court on Tuesday (Dec 12) acquitted him in the Al-Aziziya reference case, according to a report in Dawn.

The stage is set for former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif's political comeback as the Islamabad High Court on Tuesday (Dec 12) acquitted him in the Al-Aziziya reference case, according to a report in Dawn. The two-judge bench of IHC, comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb announced the verdict. The 73-year-old chief of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) party had filed pleas in the IHC, challenging his conviction in the Avenfield property and Al-Azizia cases. He was acquitted of the former in November by the same bench. Watch | Nawaz Sharif: 'Mending relations with neighbours crucial for Pakistan' × What is the Al-Azizia graft case? The Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference pertains to a case in which Nawaz was sentenced to seven years in jail on Dec 24, 2018. He was also fined $25 million. The Sharifs were unable to clarify the source of funds provided to set up Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment (HME) in Saudi Arabia. In 2019, the Lahore High Court (LHC) suspended his sentence and allowed Nawaz to go abroad for medical treatment. Subsequently, he went to London on November 19, 2019, and since then, never returned. What next for Sharif? Although acquittal in both cases has paved way for Sharif's return to Pakistan's polity, he still has another hurdle to cross. He remains disqualified from holding office by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case. The apex court, while interpreting Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution ruled that the disqualification is for life. Also read | Pakistan ex-PM Nawaz Sharif acquitted in corruption cases ahead of general elections Sharif, holed up in London since 2019, has been looking to make a comeback for a long time. The whispers surrounding his return to Pakistan soil have been doing the rounds since November last year when he was issued a five-year diplomatic passport by the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Nawaz's presence is expected to boost the fortunes of PML-N as the party leaders believe that his presence is necessary to stop the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party which has the public sentiment behind it, ever since the former cricketer's imprisonment. The general elections are scheduled to be held early next year. (With inputs from agencies)

Court acquits Pak ex-PM Nawaz Sharif in Al-Azizia corruption case, paves way for his political comeback

Pakistan's jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking bail on medical grounds in the Al-Azizia corruption case.

The Supreme Court earlier this month dismissed the 69-year-old three-time prime minister's review petition seeking permanent bail on medical grounds and the permission to go abroad for treatment.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nawaz-sharif-back-in-jail-after-massive-show-of-strength-216899">Sharif returned to the Kot Lakhpat jail on May 7</a> to serve his seven-year prison term in the case after the end of his six-week bail, which was granted to him on medical grounds with a condition that he would not leave Pakistan.

Opinions of specialist doctors from Switzerland, the US and the UK have been included in the petition filed at the high court by Sharif's counsel Khawaja Haris, the Express Tribune reported.

"According to the medical board, Nawaz is suffering from numerous diseases," the petition said.

According to the reports, doctors recommended that Sharif's condition is life-threatening. Tension and stress can prove to be threatening to his life, it added.

Even Sharif's blood and sugar levels have not normalised, the petition went on to add.

The petition stated that all members of the special medical board, along with doctors associated with doctors hospital Lahore, Sheikh Zayed Hospital Lahore and National Hospital Lahore as well as medical specialists from UK, USA and Switzerland were unanimous that Sharif's treatment is not possible in jail premises.

The former premier, who has been serving a seven-year prison term at Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail since December 24, 2018, was granted a six-week bail on March 26 to get medical treatment. However, Sharif filed a civil review petition against the order on April 27.

The petition requested the court to allow Sharif get medical treatment abroad, claiming that the former prime minister was suffering from acute anxiety and depression that would lead to sudden death.

It said the medical professionals seeing the former premier in Pakistan recommend that he should be treated by his regular practitioners in the United Kingdom. It also said that there was a difference between the apex court's March 26 oral order and the written order.

However, a three-judge special bench, headed by Pakistan Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and comprising Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Yahya Afridi, dismissed the petition.&nbsp;

Sharif was convicted by an accountability court in one of the three corruption cases filed in the wake of the apex court's July 28, 2017 order in Panama Papers case.

Sharif and his family have denied any wrongdoing and allege that the corruption cases against them were politically motivated.

Pakistan's jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking bail on medical grounds in the Al-Azizia corruption case.

Pakistan's jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking bail on medical grounds in the Al-Azizia corruption case. The Supreme Court earlier this month dismissed the 69-year-old three-time prime minister's review petition seeking permanent bail on medical grounds and the permission to go abroad for treatment. Sharif returned to the Kot Lakhpat jail on May 7 to serve his seven-year prison term in the case after the end of his six-week bail, which was granted to him on medical grounds with a condition that he would not leave Pakistan. Opinions of specialist doctors from Switzerland, the US and the UK have been included in the petition filed at the high court by Sharif's counsel Khawaja Haris, the Express Tribune reported. "According to the medical board, Nawaz is suffering from numerous diseases," the petition said. According to the reports, doctors recommended that Sharif's condition is life-threatening. Tension and stress can prove to be threatening to his life, it added. Even Sharif's blood and sugar levels have not normalised, the petition went on to add. The petition stated that all members of the special medical board, along with doctors associated with doctors hospital Lahore, Sheikh Zayed Hospital Lahore and National Hospital Lahore as well as medical specialists from UK, USA and Switzerland were unanimous that Sharif's treatment is not possible in jail premises. The former premier, who has been serving a seven-year prison term at Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail since December 24, 2018, was granted a six-week bail on March 26 to get medical treatment. However, Sharif filed a civil review petition against the order on April 27. The petition requested the court to allow Sharif get medical treatment abroad, claiming that the former prime minister was suffering from acute anxiety and depression that would lead to sudden death. It said the medical professionals seeing the former premier in Pakistan recommend that he should be treated by his regular practitioners in the United Kingdom. It also said that there was a difference between the apex court's March 26 oral order and the written order. However, a three-judge special bench, headed by Pakistan Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and comprising Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Yahya Afridi, dismissed the petition. Sharif was convicted by an accountability court in one of the three corruption cases filed in the wake of the apex court's July 28, 2017 order in Panama Papers case. Sharif and his family have denied any wrongdoing and allege that the corruption cases against them were politically motivated.

Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif re-files bail application in High Court

Pakistan's Supreme Court has rejected an appeal filed on behalf of ousted former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for an early hearing of his petition seeking bail on medical grounds and to have his sentence suspended in the Al-Azizia corruption case.

The apex court said on Monday that the case against the Islamabad High Court's verdict will be heard when its turn comes.

Sharif, 69, was on December 24 last year sentenced to seven years in prison by an anti-corruption court in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case for owning a steel factory abroad without disclosing its ownership.

On Friday, senior counsel Khawaja Haris Ahmed filed an appeal before the Supreme Court on behalf of the former premier, asking the apex court to grant him bail after suspending the seven-year sentence, the Dawn newspaper reported.

But the Supreme Court Registrar Office returned the application for early hearing on the grounds that no special treatment could be accorded and the routine procedure would be followed to take up the matter, it said.

Sharif had filed an appeal in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to suspend his sentence in the Al-Azizia case until the final verdict on his appeal is announced. However, the court rejected his plea on February 25.

He had requested bail on the grounds that his health was deteriorating in jail.

The IHC in its order had held that none of the medical reports about Sharif's condition suggested that his continued incarceration would in any way be detrimental to his life, adding that he had been hospitalised time and again since January whenever he made complaints about his indisposition.

Sharif has challenged this verdict in the Supreme Court and filed a separate petition for a quick hearing on March 6.

His appeal contends that the IHC order was in violation of his fundamental right to life as guaranteed by the Constitution.

The former premier is currently incarcerated at the Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore where he is serving the seven-year sentence.

Sharif resigned as Pakistan prime minister in 2017 after the Supreme Court disqualified him from holding public office and ruled that graft cases be filed against the beleaguered leader and his children over the Panama Papers scandal.

Sharif has denied any wrongdoing and says the charges are political motivated.

His supporters believe the real reason he was convicted was because he had fallen out with the country's powerful army.

Pakistan's Supreme Court has rejected an appeal filed on behalf of ousted former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for an early hearing of his petition seeking bail on medical grounds and to have his sentence suspended in the Al-Azizia corruption case.

Pakistan's Supreme Court has rejected an appeal filed on behalf of ousted former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for an early hearing of his petition seeking bail on medical grounds and to have his sentence suspended in the Al-Azizia corruption case. The apex court said on Monday that the case against the Islamabad High Court's verdict will be heard when its turn comes. Sharif, 69, was on December 24 last year sentenced to seven years in prison by an anti-corruption court in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case for owning a steel factory abroad without disclosing its ownership. On Friday, senior counsel Khawaja Haris Ahmed filed an appeal before the Supreme Court on behalf of the former premier, asking the apex court to grant him bail after suspending the seven-year sentence, the Dawn newspaper reported. But the Supreme Court Registrar Office returned the application for early hearing on the grounds that no special treatment could be accorded and the routine procedure would be followed to take up the matter, it said. Sharif had filed an appeal in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to suspend his sentence in the Al-Azizia case until the final verdict on his appeal is announced. However, the court rejected his plea on February 25. He had requested bail on the grounds that his health was deteriorating in jail. The IHC in its order had held that none of the medical reports about Sharif's condition suggested that his continued incarceration would in any way be detrimental to his life, adding that he had been hospitalised time and again since January whenever he made complaints about his indisposition. Sharif has challenged this verdict in the Supreme Court and filed a separate petition for a quick hearing on March 6. His appeal contends that the IHC order was in violation of his fundamental right to life as guaranteed by the Constitution. The former premier is currently incarcerated at the Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore where he is serving the seven-year sentence. Sharif resigned as Pakistan prime minister in 2017 after the Supreme Court disqualified him from holding public office and ruled that graft cases be filed against the beleaguered leader and his children over the Panama Papers scandal. Sharif has denied any wrongdoing and says the charges are political motivated. His supporters believe the real reason he was convicted was because he had fallen out with the country's powerful army.

Pakistan's Supreme Court turns down Nawaz Sharif's appeal for early hearing in graft case