Pakistan: Ex-PM Nawaz Sharif gets 10 years jail term in London property case
Islamabad, July 6 (IBNS): In a major blow to Nawaz Sharif ahead of the general elections, a Pakistani anti-corruption court on Friday handed over the former Prime Minister 10 years jail term over his family’s purchase of upscale London flats.
Apart from Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif, also a political face of their PML-N party, received a seven-year sentence. The former PM's son-in-law Safdar Awan was given a one-year sentence by the court.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) court declared the verdict after several delays. A fine of 8 million pounds was also imposed on the former prime minister. His daughter was fined 2 million pounds, said reports.
Judge Muhammad Bashir pronounced the verdict in a packed courtroom in Islamabad.
According to DawnNewsTV, the Sharif family, along with former finance minister Ishaq Dar, had gathered at the Avenfield flats in London to watch the verdict unfold live.
Nawaz, Maryam, Hassan, and Hussain are currently in London.
Captain Safdar is currently present in the country but remained absent from the court.
"The court has also ruled that the Avenfield apartments of the Sharif family, in their possession since 1993, shall be seized by the federal government," reported Geo News.
The Avenfield properties reference was one of three filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) since the issue came to light following the Supreme Court verdict against Nawaz Sharif in the Panama Papers case.
The Panama Papers leak in 2015 revealed several of Sharif's children had links to offshore companies, which were allegedly used to channel funds and buy foreign assets - including luxury flats in Avenfield House, on London's Park Lane, reported BBC.
As per Geo News, following the verdict, Maryam and Safdar stand barred from contesting the July general election from Lahore and Mansehra, respectively.
Maryam reacts:
Following the verdict, Maryam tweeted: "Nawaz Sharif is coming. Then, his head to smash a way. Today was the last attempt. Ø§Ù†Ø´Ø§Ø¡Ø§Ù„Ù‘Ù„Û as before, will be a failure. https://twitter.com/lawliga/status."
PTI welcomes:
Country's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party welcomed the order and tweted:"At last Nawaz Sharif has got an answer for 'Mujhay Kion Nikala'...Its a time to celebrate Pakistani Nation, We are getting rid of Corrupts."
Nawaz Sharif ousted from power last year:
Pakistani Supreme Court last year ousted Sharif from the post of the Prime Minister following the Panama Papers revelations.
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