Ex-Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif Sentenced to 10-Year Imprisonment, Daughter Maryam Handed Seven in Avenfield Corruption Case
The Avenfield corruption case was out in November 2016, after the revelations made in the Panama Papers found Sharif, daughter Maryam and sons Hasan and Hussain to have made undisclosed offshore investments.
Islamabad, July 6: Pakistan's ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam has been sentenced to imprisonment of 10 years and seven years, respectively. Both of them, along with Maryam's husband Capt (retd) Safdar, were convicted in the Avenfield corruption case.
The verdict was read out by the Accountability Court, a judicial body which deals with graft cases in Pakistan. The ruling could be challenged by the Sharifs in the Supreme Court.
Sharif and Maryam were absent from the court when the bench read out the judgement. The duo are in London, where Sharif's wife Kulsoom Begum is being treated for cancer. Capt Safdar, though being in Pakistan, was absent when the verdict was read out. He was sentenced to 1-year jail.
Maryam's counsel Amjad Pervaiz had appealed the court to delay the verdict citing the law which states the convicts should be in the courtroom when the prison term is awarded to them. The bench, however, rejected the plea.
The Avenfield corruption case was out in November 2016, after the revelations made in the Panama Papers found Sharif, daughter Maryam and sons Hasan and Hussain to have made offshore investments without disclosing the same to the tax authorities in Pakistan.
While the Sharif family has been convicted in the Avenfield case, the trial is underway in the Gulf Steel Mills and Al-Azizia Steel Mills case.
Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) has accused the judicial and military establishment of running a campaign against the former due to his campaign to empower the civilian government of the nation.
Reacting to Sharif's conviction, his brother and Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his party will continue to constitutionally fight against their opponents. "Nawaz Sharif has fought against such forces earlier as well and emerged victorious," he said.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 06, 2018 05:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).