A two-member bench of the Islamabad High Court granted protective bail to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia and Avenfield case till October 24.

The divisional bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb announced the decision and stopped authorities from arresting Nawaz.

The bench had issued notices in petitions filed by Nawaz’s lawyers on Wednesday ahead of his return to the country.

On Thursday, NAB’s prosecutor said that a previous high court verdict that an appeal can be restored when an appellant comes back to the country.

Chief Justice Aamer Farooq asked the prosecutor if he had instructions from the Bureau to file his reply. NAB’s prosecutor confirmed that he had instructions from NAB’s prosecutor general.

Nawaz Sharif is arriving in Pakistan on October 21 after four years of exile in London.

Nawaz’s lawyers requested protective bail in the Al-Aziziya case and the Avenfield case in light of the IHC’s previous verdicts.

In Wednesday’s hearing, Lawyer Amjad Pervaiz argued that the courts have traditionally provided a chance to people who surrendered in front of the court. He added that people declared absconders have also been given protective bail.

He also added that Nawaz had never misused his bail from the courts.

In response, the National Accountability Bureau’s prosecutor said that there was no objection if someone wanted to surrender in front of the court. However, he said that the NAB chairman was currently outside the country.

The bench then issued notices to all parties in the case and adjourned the hearing.

Earlier in the day, an accountability court suspended Nawaz’s perpetual warrants in the Toshakhana case on Thursday. Judge Muhammad Bashir announced the decision shortly after it was reserved on Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, sources told Aaj News that Nawaz would leave Jeddah for Dubai shortly. The PML-N supremo would stay with his daughter Asma Nawaz in Dubai for two days, after which he would leave for Pakistan on Saturday by a special plane.

Nawaz had been sentenced to 10 years in prison in the Avenfield case and seven years in the Al-Aziziya case.

His bail applications had been disposed of in June 2021 after he did not show up in court. The IHC has also declared him an absconder.

Nawaz’s lawyers will request protective bail in order to allow him to appear before the court for a renewal of the bail application.

The PMLN chief has also been declared as an absconder in the Toshakhana case by an accountability court.

Nawaz is set to return to Pakistan after nearly four years in exile. He travlled abroad in 2019 after the Lahore High Court allowed him to seek medical treatment abroad.