Ex-Pakistan PM in court over corruption

Ousted Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif has appeared in court charged with corruption after the Panama Papers leak.

The papers, leaked from a law firm in Panama in 2016, indicated Mr Sharif's sons failed to declare several offshore companies, some of which helped them to buy properties in London's Mayfair.

Sharif denies charges of corruption stemming from documents.

He arrived at court flanked by security, along with his daughter and son-in-law, who also face charges of corruption.

An investigation accused Mr Sharif of concealing assets and hiding his family's wealth by overemphasising his father's.

His daughter was said to be the main beneficiary, but attempted to prove her innocence last year.

However, documents she produced, allegedly written and signed in 2006, used the font Calibri, not commercially available until 2007.

In court on Friday, Sharif's lawyers asked that the three cases he faces be merged into one.

A judge set the next trial date for Tuesday, when the defence pleas will be announced.

He was disqualified from holding public office by the country's supreme court in July 2017 after a judge ruled he had been dishonest in not disclosing employment of a Dubai-based company in his nomination papers.