A Pakistani court issued an arrest warrant for ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after he failed to appear before the court over anti-corruption allegations, local media said on Thursday, but he can avoid arrest by paying bail. In Pakistan, “bailable arrest warrants” often act as a warning to deter absences from court, but a judge can later issue non-bailable warrants that are more serious and could see Sharif arrested when he returns to Pakistan. Sharif missed the hearing as he is undertaking a religious pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, Dawn and other English-language newspapers reported. Sharif faces three separate corruption charges from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), an anti-corruption body which has its own courts. The NAB court charges against Sharif relate to the ownership of London apartments, as well as establishment of two large-scale factory businesses in Saudi Arabia.

Source: Dhaka Tribune October 26, 2017 07:30 UTC