Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif gets 10 years jail term

Islamabad: A Pakistani accountability court on Friday jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Mohammed Safdar for 10, 7 and 1 year respectively.

Announcing the verdict judge, Muhammad Bashir ruled that the Avenfield apartments of the Sharif family shall be seized by the federal government.

The judge while awarding 10 years rigorous imprisonment to Nawaz Sharif also imposed an eight million pound ( Rs 1.2billion) fine, while a fine of two million pound ( Rs 322 million) has been imposed on his daughter Maryam Nawaz .

The court also issued permanent arrest warrants of the former Prime Minister’s sons Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz.

Soon after the verdict, Maryam, considered to be Sharif’s heir apparent, took to Twitter to share this message: “This is a very small punishment for firmly standing in front of unseen forces. The morale to fight against oppression has increased today.”

Maryam Nawaz and Mr Safdar, who were candidates for the forthcoming general elections have been disqualified from contesting elections for 10 years each. The verdict marked a further fall for Mr Sharif, who has been Pakistan’s prime minister three times, but never completed a term. 

According to media reports, Sharif and Maryam were in their apartment in the Avenfield bui-lding in London when the decision was announced.

Sharif resigned as Pakistan prime minister last year after the Supreme Court disqualified him from holding public office and ruled that graft cases be filed against the beleaguered leader and his children over the Panama Papers scandal.

The Avenfield case hearing lasted for more than nine months and both Sharif and his daughter attended dozens of hearings.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan said on Friday that Nawaz Sharif is reaping what he had sowed. He credited his party for taking the Panama scandal into the court. Mr Khan held a consultation meeting with party leaders here which was attended by senator Shibli Faraz, senator Faisal Javed and Iftikhar Durrani.

They exchanged views on the verdict of accountability court in Avenfield corruption reference case.

The PTI chairman provided guidelines to the party leaders related to the verdict.

Earlier, Mr Khan alleged that the PML-N supremo was cashing in on his wife’s sickness to escape punishment.

“Kulsoom’s sickness is being used as an excuse to delay the (NAB) court verdict. Nawaz Sharif, come back. Adiala is waiting for you,” he added. 

with agency inputs