According to media reports, the anti-corruption court of Pakistan has sentenced the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for seven years in prison in the Al-Azizia case. There were a total of 3 cases including the Flagship Investment and Al-Azizia case. Although the hearing was completed last week the court decided to reserve the judgment to wrap up the remaining two corruption cases as well. The bench of Islamabad-based accountability court was headed by Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik.
Yesterday, talking to senior leaders of his party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Islamabad, Sharif said, “I do not have any sort of fear; my conscience is clear. I have done nothing that would force me to bow my head. (I) have always served the country and this nation with absolute honesty”. He said this in a special meeting held prior to heading toward the court and also emphasized the fact that there was no evidence against him. Geo TV reported that on the question of party policy in case of an adverse judgment against him, Sharif left to the senior party leader how to react.
The Dawn reported that entry to the court was restricted. No one was allowed to attend proceedings except those having the permission of the registrar. A large number of Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supporters and senior party leaders were present outside the court to show their support for the party’s supreme leader.
There was huge security patrolling around the judicial complex, with Rangers deployed around the building and along roads leading to the court. Former PM of Pakistan Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told the media that the senior party leaders were not allowed to enter.
Prior to the verdict, Sharif met his younger brother and Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif who is also facing a probe by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The accountability court had indicted elder Sharif for holding assets beyond his known sources of income in August 2017.
Last week, Sharif’s lawyer Khawaja Harris pleaded to provide one week time to submit more documents but the court allowed him to provide any document by the last Friday. The judge also observed that they were bound to follow December 24 which was the final deadline set by the Supreme Court.
There were a total of three cases, Avenfield properties case, Flagship Investment case and Al-Azizia steel mills case, were filled by the NAB on September 8, 2017, following a judgment by the apex court that disqualified Sharif.
In July this year, Sharif, his daughter Maryam and his son-in-law retired captain Mohammad Safdar were sentenced to 11 years, eight years and one year respectively in prison. All of them were convicted in the Avenfield properties case related to their purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices. However, all of them were bailed out by the Islamabad High Court in September.
Sharif’s two sons, Hassan and Hussain were also co-accused in all three cases but the duo never appeared before the court. The court had decided to hear their cases separately once they appear before the court. “Not a penny of corruption has been proven against me. I am very happy that I have done my duty, and I think that since I have stepped in politics I have never indulged in corruption nor have misused my power,” said Nawaz Sharif.
Talking to the media in Multan, veteran politician Javed Hashmi on Saturday predicted that Sharif will be convicted in the Flagship and Al-Azizia case as “The institutions won’t let these (cases) prove false. I will not accept this decision as Nawaz Sharif will be convicted at any cost,” he was quoted as saying by Dawn newspaper.