Court annoyed at Shahbaz's non-appearance in Ashiana case.

LAHORE: An accountability court on Thursday expressed annoyance over non-appearance of the Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, Shahbaz Sharif, and questioned his participation in the meetings of the Public

Accounts Committee (PAC) in Islamabad despite his 'excuse' of bad health.

The court was set to indict Mr Sharif in Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme case on Thursday. However, a reply submitted by the Kot Lakhpat Jail superintendent stated that Mr Sharif was in Islamabad and had been receiving medical treatment. It also said Mr Sharif was busy in Islamabad being PAC chairman.

Judge Syed Najamul Hassan Bokhari observed that it was stated that Mr Sharif was not in good health, but he had been presiding over PAC meetings. 'How can an ailing person hold meetings,' the judge asked.

Mr Sharif's counsel Advocate Amjad Pervez stated that a medical board of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), Islamabad, had advised his client to avoid long-distance traveling as he was a cancer patient. At this, the judge asked the defence counsel, 'Are doctors not available in Lahore,' .

A NAB prosecutor told the...