Pakistani judge exempts ex-PM Sharif from attending trial

ISLAMABAD – A Pakistani judge has exempted former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from attending his corruption trial so that he could visit his wife as she undergoes cancer treatment in London.

The temporary exemption granted by the anti-graft court in Islamabad also applies to Sharif’s daughter, co-defendant in the case.

Sharif’s lawyer Amjad Pervez said the exemption for Sharif is for one week only but a month for his daughter.

Sharif, his daughter and her husband appeared in court for Wednesday’s hearing in the trial on corruption charges stemming from documents leaked from a Panamanian law firm.

However, the judge declared Sharif’s two sons — also charged in the same case — as “offenders” for failing to appear in court.

Pakistan’s Supreme Court in July dismissed Sharif from office for concealing assets.