Former PM Nawaz Sharif. Photo: File 

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is expected to be indicted in the Flagship Companies Ltd reference today by the accountability court conducting corruption proceedings against the Sharif family. 

The court is conducting the hearing of three references filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in light of the Supreme Court directions in the July 28 Panama Papers case judgment. 

On Thursday, Nawaz was indicted in the Azizia Steel Mills reference as well as in the Avenfield properties reference, in which his daughter Maryam and son-in-law MNA Capt (retd) Safdar were indicted as well. 

Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Safdar indicted in corruption cases

The Sharif family is facing three corruption references filed by NAB in light of the Supreme Court's verdict in the Panama Papers case

Accountability Court Judge Mohammad Bashir indicted the three accused after dismissing their separate pleas to suspend proceedings and halt their indictment.

Nawaz, through his representative Zafir Khan, Maryam and Safdar rejected the charges by pleading 'not guilty' and vowed to contest the case.

The court has adjourned the hearing of the Avenfield properties and Azizia Steel Mills references until October 26 and directed the prosecution to produce its first witness at the next hearing.

Nawaz terms NAB proceedings as ?murder of justice?

Former prime minister also shared that he will return to Pakistan before October 26

Meanwhile, the former premier, who is presently in London, will be returning to the country on October 22 and has vowed to contest the charges. 

The references

The NAB has in total filed three references against the Sharif family and one against Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in the accountability court, in light of the Supreme Court's orders in the Panama Papers case verdict of July 28.

The references against the Sharif family

The Supreme Court, in its final judgment in the Panama Papers case on July 28, directed the National Accountability Bureau to file three references against the Sharif family. Avenfield properties...

The anti-graft body was given six weeks, from the date of the apex court's order, to file the reference in an accountability court while the accountability court was granted six months to wrap up the proceedings.

The references against the Sharif family pertain to the Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metals Establishment, their London properties and over dozen offshore companies owned by the family.

Maryam and Safdar are only nominated in the London properties reference. At an earlier hearing, the court also approved Maryam and Safdar's bail in the Avenfiled properties case and ordered them to submit surety bonds worth Rs5 million each.

Safdar was also directed to take the court's permission before leaving the country from now on. The judge also provided a copy of the reference ? spread over 53 volumes ? to Maryam and Safdar.

NAB finalises four references against Sharif family, Ishaq Dar

The Supreme Court, in the Panama Papers case verdict, had given NAB six weeks to finalise the cases and submit them in accountability courts

NAB's Rawalpindi branch prepared two references regarding the Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metals Establishment, and the nearly dozen companies owned by the Sharif family.

Its Lahore branch prepared a reference on the Sharif family's Avenfield apartments in London and another against Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for owning assets beyond his known sources of income.

If convicted, the accused may face up to 14 years imprisonment and lifelong disqualification from holding public office including the freezing of bank accounts and assets.