The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has made a significant ruling on Thursday by restoring former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's appeals against his conviction in the Avenfield Apartments and Al-Azizia references. The verdict, which had been reserved earlier in the day, was announced by a division bench consisting of Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb.

Nawaz Sharif had been sentenced to 10 years in jail in July 2018 in the Avenfield properties corruption reference for owning assets beyond known income, along with an additional one-year term for not cooperating with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). Similarly, in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference, he was handed a seven-year imprisonment sentence on December 24, 2018. Additionally, he was fined Rs1.5 billion and US$25 million.

However, Nawaz Sharif was released from jail in March 2019 and subsequently left for London on medical grounds in November 2019. It was in December 2020, that the IHC declared him a proclaimed offender in both cases. On his return to Pakistan earlier this month, he was granted protective bail in both cases. The IHC had extended this protective bail until October 26, which happened to be the day of the verdict.

During the court proceedings, Nawaz Sharif appeared alongside his brother Shehbaz and other party leaders. The NAB Prosecutor General Ehtesham Qadir Shah informed the court that the matter had been discussed with the watchdog's chairman and revealed the possibility of withdrawing the reference during an ongoing trial. However, Shah clarified that under Pakistani laws, if an appeal is accepted against a decision, the reference cannot be withdrawn.

Nawaz Sharif's lawyer, Azam Nazir Tarar, highlighted that his client had appeared before the court despite being a proclaimed offender, expecting his right to appeal to be reinstated. Amjad Parvez, another counsel for Nawaz, stated that the court had acknowledged the need to evaluate Nawaz's character before deciding on the appeals of the other accused.

Responding to the court's question, the NAB prosecutor confirmed seeking a decision on the merits of Nawaz Sharif's appeals. He also clarified that there were no intentions of apprehending the PML-N leader, as no court order mentioned his arrest. He suggested that new surety bonds could be obtained from Nawaz instead.

Following the arguments presented, the court reserved its verdict on Nawaz Sharif's appeals. The ruling has sparked keen interest among political observers and supporters of the PML-N, awaiting the outcome of the high-profile case.

The decision to restore Nawaz Sharif's appeals against his conviction showcases the significance of legal procedures and the role they play in determining the fate of prominent political figures. As the verdict is awaited, the implications of this ruling are expected to shape the future of the former Prime Minister's legal battles.