Pakisatn court adjourns hearing of Nawaz Sharif's asset case by one week

LAHORE: The hearing of a 24-year-old case against Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for allegedly possessing assets worth billions of rupees abroad was adjourned for a week by a court here today.

A five-member bench of Lahore High Court headed by Justice Muhammad Farrukh Irfan Khan adjourned the hearing till May 15 on the request of petitioner's counsel Javed Iqbal.

Iqbal had sought three weeks to present arguments but the court allowed him one week.

"Do you want a further delay of 24 years in the case?" the judge said.

The LHC on May 6 took up the petition seeking disqualification of Sharif for possessing assets worth billions of rupees abroad and constituted a larger bench to hear the case.

According to the law of the country, cases involving high-profile individuals such as the prime minister require at least five or seven judges on the bench.

Petitioner Ali Imran said Nawaz Sharif was not eligible to hold the post of Prime Minister as he has assets worth billions of rupees abroad.

"Prime Minister Sharif should be declared disqualified as he does meet the legal requirement under Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution," Imran said.