In a verdict likely to shape Pakistan’s political scenario for years to come, Pakistan’s accountability court Friday sentenced deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif to 10 years in jail for amassing property beyond his income after a trial in Avenfield case.
The verdict includes another year in prison for refusing to cooperate with the National Accountability Bureau, commonly known as NAB.
Sharif, who is in London with his ailing wife and other members of family, faces both sentences at the same time.
His daughter Maryam Nawaz has been has been handed seven years of incarceration for abetting the purchase of London properties, and 1 year for not cooperating with the investigators. The NAB sentences will be completed concurrently.
Maryam Nawaz’s husband, Muhammad Safar, a retired army captain, has been sentenced one year in jail for not cooperating with the NAB.
The NAB court has also imposed a hefty fine of 8 million pounds on Nawaz and 2 million pounds on Maryam Nawaz.
As per the NAB verdict Avenfield flats will be confiscated by the federal government.
Maryam Nawaz, who is considered heir apparent, will not be able to contest election from Lahore, her PML(N) party’s home and stronghold for about four decades during which the Sharif family has ruled Punjab, the largest province almost unchallenged, but has been under intense scrutiny on a litany of corruption charges.
Nawaz’s sons, Hasan and Hussain, who were declared absconder in the case were not sentenced owing to their repeated absences.
PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, younger brother of Nawaz Sharif, said the party will not accept the verdict, calling July 6 a ‘black day’ in the history of the country.
The much publicized corruption cases against the Sharif family have been hitting headlines in Pakistan for the past two years, and analysts now say Pakistan Tehreek -e-Insaaf, a party led by former cricketer Imran Khan, stands chances of winning the July 25 election, and form the federal government.
Pakistan Peoples Party of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, now led by her husband Asif Ali Zardari, is also tainted with corruption charges and faces an uphill task in recovering ground in Punjab, which has the largest number of seats in the Parliament.
Even in Sindh, the second largest province, the PPP is up against public anger over its record of poor governance.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, PTI and local coalition parties, are said to stand better chances of success.
But there are no absolute predictions as the PNL(N) also has a chance of securing sympathy vote. The PML(N) leaders have been blaming the courts for discrimination against the party and have also alleged military interference in a campaign against the party. The courts and the military establishment deny allegations.
