The reference had been returned by the court in accordance with changes made to NAB laws.
The case against Sharif and others relates to allegations of corruption and illegal allotment of land during his tenure as prime minister.
However, the reference had been held up due to changes in NAB laws that had been made by the incumbent coalition government.
Nawaz Sharif, who has been living in exile in London since 2019, had been declared an absconder in the case after failing to appear before the court.
His supporters claimed that the case against him was politically motivated.