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Nawaz Sharif, daughter and son-in-law indicted in Avenfield graft case

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Nawaz Sharif

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Trial against the ousted Pakistan Prime Minister and his family in the Avenfield properties case will start on October 26

In a move that is likely to increase political troubles for Nawaz Sharif, an accountability court in Islamabad indicted the ousted Pakistan Prime Minister, his daughter Maryam and her husband Captain (retired) Mohammad Safdar in a corruption case related to their London-based Avenfield properties case.

The indictment has now paved the way for a trial to commence against Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law in the Avenfield flats reference – one of the three references made by Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau (ACB) against the Sharif family earlier this year after a five-judge Bench of the country’s Supreme Court disqualified Nawaz Sharif from holding the office of Prime Minister. Sharif was forced to step down from the Pakistan Premier’s office after the SC verdict which had stemmed from the cases filed against Sharif on the basis of allegations made against him and his family members during the Panama Papers leaks in 2016. The Panama Papers leaks appeared to show that Sharif’s daughter and two sons owned offshore holding companies registered in the British Virgin Islands and used them to buy posh flats in London.

Sharif is currently in the United Kingdom to attend to his ailing wife Kulsoom who is undergoing treatment for throat cancer at a hospital in London. The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) chief and his sons Hassan and Hussain are likely to be indicted in the two more references made against them by the ACB later on Thursday.

During the hearing in the Avenfield properties reference in the Islamabad-based accountability court on Thursday, Maryam, Safdar and Nawaz Sharif’s pleader said that the ousted Prime Minister was pleading “not guilty” to the charges brought against him. Maryam and Safdar who were both present in the courtroom also pleaded not guilty.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI4MTklMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjI0OTElMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGd05mTUhyWnM0b3clMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvd2Z1bGxzY3JlZW4lM0UlM0MlMkZpZnJhbWUlM0U=[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]“I do not plead guilty. Charges are not only groundless, baseless and unfounded but also frivolous, and on top of that we are being denied our right to fair trial. The charges are being framed on a report that is incomplete and controversial. It will go down in history as [a] mockery of justice and travesty of justice. Moreover, the charges are being framed without awaiting the detailed order of the Supreme Court in the review petitions,” Sharif’s pleader – Zafir Khan said in a statement before the court after the trio were indicted.

Earlier, the court had rejected applications filed by Sharif, Maryam and Capt Safdar which sought suspension of the indictment on grounds that the PML-N chief was in London to attend to his wife and so could not be present in the court for the proceedings. As a result, both Nawaz Sharif and his family’s lead counsel Khawaja Haris were not present during the indictment as they are both in London.

According to a report by Pakistan’s Dawn News, Maryam has been charged with being the beneficial owner of the London flats while Capt Safdar has been charged with being her accomplice in acquiring the said Avenfield apartments. The indictment order passed by the accountability court states that the “accused were unsuccessful in showing the sources of income used to purchase the London flats”.

On October 26, when the trial in the Avenfield flats reference begins, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan’s (SECP) joint registrar Sidra Mansoor will record Maryam’s statement as the first witness in the case.

While speaking to reporters in Islamabad after the indictment, Maryam said: “one day there would be accountability of the accountability process” that her family is going through and that “Injustice and atrocities cannot continue together.”

The indictment of the Sharif family, which comes a little over two months after Nawaz Sharif was forced to step down as Prime Minister following the country’s verdict in the Panama Papers case against him, has given more ammunition to attack the ousted Premier’s political rivals in the country at a time when Pakistan’s general elections are less than a year away.

Speaking to Pakistan’s Geo News about Maryam and Capt Safdar’s indictment, Awami Muslim League (AML) leader Sheikh Rashid said: “The law has truly been implemented today.”

Fawad Chaudhary, spokesperson of cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party too expressed satisfaction over the indictment and hoped that the court would also indict Sharif and his family in the other two references made against them in corruption cases.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Trump rejects Iran’s 7-day peace plan, says deal can come after US polls

US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s seven-day proposal to end hostilities and indicated that a deal could come after the US midterm elections in November.

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Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s latest proposal aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing conflict, while indicating that a possible agreement could come after the US midterm elections in November.

Iran had proposed a seven-day framework under which hostilities could be brought to an end, the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and negotiations over its nuclear programme could resume.

Iran’s seven-day proposal

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had put forward the proposal through intermediaries. Under the plan, the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened by the end of the seventh day if specified conditions were met, while broader nuclear discussions would restart.

The proposal was based largely on an earlier understanding reached between Washington and Tehran, but Iran sought to implement the latest framework much faster. The earlier arrangement had provided a longer period for negotiations.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important waterway for global energy shipments, making its reopening a key element of any effort to ease the wider conflict.

Trump points to US midterm elections

Trump, speaking at the United Nations, showed no indication that he was ready to immediately resume negotiations on the terms proposed by Tehran.

He called for the economic isolation of Iran and said he believed a deal could be reached after the US midterm elections in November. Trump also said Iran was waiting to see how he performed in the midterm elections.

The remarks came as Iranian officials signalled that they remained open to diplomacy and described the UN General Assembly as an opportunity to revive negotiations.

Nuclear talks remain part of Iran proposal

Iran’s latest plan links the easing of hostilities with the resumption of negotiations over its nuclear programme.

The proposal follows the collapse of an earlier US-Iran arrangement. According to reporting on the latest proposal, the new framework is intended to compress the timeline for implementing commitments that had previously been discussed by the two sides.

For now, Trump’s remarks indicate that Washington is not accepting Tehran’s seven-day framework as presented, while Iran continues to put diplomacy and negotiations forward as part of its proposal.

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Iranian President Pezeshkian at UN says Iranians have been victims of US terrorism

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at the UN General Assembly that Iranians had been victims of US terrorism and insisted that Iran had acted in self-defence.

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of subjecting Iranians to what he described as terrorism while addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

Pezeshkian said Iran had defended itself against attacks and rejected the characterisation of the country as a terrorist actor. His remarks came during a rare wartime appearance at the UN as tensions between Iran and the United States remain high.

Pezeshkian accuses US and Israel of attacks

Speaking at the General Assembly, Pezeshkian said Iranian civilians had been targeted by attacks and described the actions against his country as aggression.

“We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” he said, according to the report.

Pezeshkian also accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran, while maintaining that Tehran’s response was an act of self-defence.

The Iranian president displayed photographs of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and more than 150 schoolchildren who, according to his account, were killed during the early days of the conflict.

Iran’s message at the UN

Pezeshkian’s address came against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States and heightened tensions in the region.

Iranian officials had indicated ahead of the UN visit that they intended to highlight what Tehran considers attacks against its people and raise concerns over the international response to the conflict.

The Iranian delegation’s visit to New York also comes amid restrictions imposed by the United States on the delegation’s movement and other aspects of its stay, according to reporting ahead of the address.

Pezeshkian says Iran defended itself

Pezeshkian’s central message at the UN was that Iran’s military actions should be viewed as a response to attacks rather than terrorism.

His description of the conflict and the allegations against the United States and Israel represent the Iranian government’s position. They should therefore be attributed to Pezeshkian rather than presented as independently established facts.

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PM Modi’s Canada visit could help wrap trade talks, says Canada PM Mark Carney

Canadian PM Mark Carney said he is looking forward to hosting PM Narendra Modi, with both countries aiming to conclude their ongoing trade negotiations.

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he is looking forward to hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as India and Canada continue efforts to advance their bilateral relationship and conclude ongoing trade negotiations.

The two countries have been working towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with both sides previously setting a target to conclude the negotiations in 2026.

Carney and Modi have held discussions on strengthening economic ties between India and Canada, including trade and investment. Their engagement has gained momentum following Carney’s visit to India earlier this year.

India-Canada trade talks

India and Canada formally resumed efforts towards a broader trade agreement after a period of strained bilateral ties. The two sides have committed to advancing negotiations on a CEPA covering their economic relationship.

In June, Carney and Modi reviewed progress in bilateral economic cooperation during their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France. They expressed satisfaction with the progress in CEPA negotiations and reaffirmed their shared objective of concluding the talks in 2026.

During Carney’s visit to India in March, the two leaders had also agreed to accelerate negotiations on the CEPA and work towards finalising the agreement during 2026.

Modi’s proposed Canada visit

Carney had invited PM Modi to visit Canada in 2026, and the two leaders agreed to remain engaged through diplomatic channels to work towards a mutually convenient date for the visit.

The proposed visit comes as New Delhi and Ottawa seek to build on renewed diplomatic and economic engagement, with trade negotiations remaining a key part of the relationship.

The focus on completing the trade talks comes as both countries look to expand commercial ties and establish a broader economic framework through the proposed CEPA.

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