Karachi, July 12: Mother of Pakistan's ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Shamim Akhtar, on Tuesday expressed happiness over the return of her son to Pakistan. She said Nawaz, Maryam & Safdar are innocent and are being punished for their loyalty to the nation. Shamim said Allah would protect them and if the three are sent to jail, then she would accompany them.

“Son of Pakistan, my son is returning tomorrow. The decision was against him, Maryam & Safdar. I won't let them go to jail. If they are sent to jail, then I will go with them. I believe all of them are innocent & Allah will protect them”, Shamim Akhtar was quoted by ANI.

Sharif’s mother further added saying those at fault must fear Allah. She questioned saying the Court itself has said that the corruption (in the case) could not be established, so what are they being punished for? Sharif, 68, is in London attending to his wife Kulsoom Nawaz who was diagnosed with throat cancer last year.

Earlier this month, Sharif was sentenced in absentia to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined eight million pounds by an accountability court in one of the three corruption cases against him in the high-profile Panama Papers scandal. Also, his daughter and co-accused Maryam was given seven years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of two million pounds, while Sharif's son-in-law Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar was jailed for one year.

Reports inform that the court delivered the verdict after postponing it for four times in the Avenfield corruption case pertaining to the ownership of four flats in the posh Avenfield House in London.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 12, 2018 10:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).