A division bench of the Islamabad High Court issued notices to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on separate applications filed by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for a protective bail in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia references.

The division bench comprises IHC Chief Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb.

Earlier, the court had allotted a number for hearing the applications after his lawyers requested for hearing the applications today.

The Registrar's Office did not raise any objection to either of the applications.

In the application, Nawaz Sharif has requested for a protective bail for surrendering before the law. He has said that he intends to face the cases against him, so the authorities should be barred from arresting him to enable him to reach the court.

The application states that Nawaz Sharif will land in Islamabad on a special flight on October 21, asking for a protective bail to reach the court.

In the application, Nawaz claims that undemocratic forces have targeted him and his family over political vendetta in the past.

“Law has been used as a weapon against us by law enforcement agencies,” he further claimed, adding that he and his family were targeted during a dictator's rule and governments of political opponents.

Also Read: Change of plan: Nawaz to land in Islamabad instead of Lahore to surrender before IHC

Nawaz says billions of dollars worth of projects were completed during his tenures as the prime minister. Cases instituted against him did not sustain, he added.

The application further alleged that a conspiracy was hatched to remove him from the political scene.

Details of the hearings in the Supreme Court in Panama Papers case and appearances in the JIT have been made part of the application.

The Powerful JIT could not produce any evidence of misuse of powers, receiving kickbacks and commission against him, Nawaz claims in the petition.

When no evidence was found over corruption, he claims to have been dismissed on charge of not receiving salary. He also claims never to have misused the bail, and just could not appear before the court on medical grounds.

Nawaz says in the petition that medical reports were submitted to the Lahore High Court on a regular basis.

CJ Farooq asked what the status of the case was and if Nawaz was a fugitive. Counsel Amjad Pervaiz replied in the affirmative.

He said his client never misused the bail granted to him and when the sentence was pronounced, he was abroad.

Former law minister Azam Nazeer Tarar told the court Nawaz Sharif was landing in Islamabad on October 21.

The NAB prosecutor told the court that if a suspect wants to return, they had no objection.

The court then issued a notice on Nawaz’s application for a protective bail and sought a response from the NAB for tomorrow.

The lawyers requested to hear Nawaz’s application today. His legal team includes Amjad Pervaiz and Azam Nazeer Tarar.

Nawaz Sharif has also requested to restore the appeals against him.

PML-N leader Ata Tarar submitted the appeals as a special representative of Nawaz Sharif. He also ensured the biometric verification as an attorney.

Earlier on Wednesday, in an apparent change of plan, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif is expected to land at Islamabad International Airport instead of Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Airport, as per legal sources in the party familiar with the development.

The former prime minister will likely land in Islamabad instead of Lahore and subsequently appear before the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

As per sources, consultations regarding Nawaz's arrival in Islamabad are final.

“The appeals {in cases} are pending in IHC where Nawaz Sharif would surrender and plead suspension of sentence in IHC,” the legal team sources claimed.