ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday granted the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif protective bail in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia cases until October 24, whereas an accountability court suspended his arrest warrant in the Toshakhana case till October 24.

Apparently, now there is no legal hurdles in the smooth return of former three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the country. He is set to return to the country on October 21 ending his four-year self-imposed exile in London.

In its verdict, the IHC restrained the authorities from arresting Nawaz Sharif on his return to the country on October 21. The IHC noted that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) did not raise any objections to the protective bail sought by Nawaz Sharif in the graft cases.

Nawaz Sharif’s bail pleas were heard by a two-member IHC bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb. Nawaz Sharif was declared a proclaimed offender by the IHC in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia cases.

Earlier, accepting the plea of Nawaz Sharif, the accountability court Judge Muhammad Bashir said the arrest warrant would be restored if the accused (Nawaz Sharif) did not appear before the court on October 24. NAB’s prosecutor did not oppose the plea for suspension of arrest warrant.