An accountability court on Tuesday granted one week to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his children and son-in-law and asked them to appear before the court on September 26.

Taking up the references filed against the Sharif family in pursuance of the apex court verdict in the Panama Papers case, judge of the special court Muhammad Bashir rejected the plea of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to issue arrest warrants for the Sharif family members and directed to repeat summons for the next week.

During the course of first hearing of the case, prosecutor of the NAB submitted that summons were delivered to security officials deputed at the residence of the accused persons in Raiwind, Lahore, whereas nobody was ready to receive summons of Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the NAB's performance in serving summons, the judge observed that summons were not issued for security officials but were for the accused persons.

The court also issued directives to NAB officials to serve the summons to all accused persons in London through Pakistan High Commission in the UK.

Appearing before the court on behalf of the Sharif family, Senator Asif Kirmani said he has been informed by the security officials deputed at the residence of the Sharifs about the summons for September 19 against the accused persons.

After a brief hearing of the matter, the court issued directives to Kirmani to communicate with the accused persons to appear before the court on the next date of hearing.

Talking to media persons after the hearing of the matter, Kirmani stated that he was unable to state when the Sharif family would return from London where former prime minister's spouse is under treatment.

He said that Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz are not residents of Raiwind, adding that he will convey the court's directives to all the persons. He further said that the return of Sharif family members is subject to recovery of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz.

-Business Recorder