Nawaz seeking ‘guarantees’ for his return

By Sarmad Ali

(Pak Destiny) After getting convicted for 10 and 7 years in Avenfield corruption case ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam are indecisive about going back to Pakistan. It is not easy for the elder Sharif to simply go back and go to jail.

Elements in PMLN that are close to establishment are made active have some guarantees before the father and daughter return.Without ensuring his ‘safe’ return Nawaz may not take his chances to return.

Nawaz is expected finalise decision by Monday after taking feedback from the quarters concerned.
Yesterday he was awarded 10 years in prison by an accountability court in the Avenfield properties reference, while his daughter Maryam Nawaz and her husband Mohammad Safdar were sentenced to seven years’ and one-year imprisonment, respectively, for abetment, dealing a severe blow to the PML-N only a few weeks before the general elections.

Judge Mohammad Bashir of the accountability court also ordered forfeiture of their property in the Avenfield Apartments, Park Lane, London and imposed £8 million (approx Rs1,292m) fine on Nawaz Sharif and £2 million (approx Rs323m) on Maryam Nawaz. The money will go into the state treasury.

In London, Mr Sharif told reporters that he would return to Pakistan once his ailing wife regained consciousness.
The three convicts were also given one-year jail term, which will run concurrently, for not cooperating with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) during the probe into the case.

In the light of this verdict, both Maryam and her spouse cannot contest elections, while Mr Sharif has already been disqualified for life by the Supreme Court in Panamagate case.

The accountability court order read: “The accused shall be disqualified to contest the elections or to hold public office for a period of 10 years to be reckoned from the date he/she is released after serving the sentence and they shall not be allowed to apply for or to be granted or allowed any financial facility in for of loan etc for a period of 10 years from the date of their conviction.”

The court, however, acquitted the ex-premier, his daughter and son-in-law of the charge of corrupt practices. According to the judgement, the prosecution have not brought evidence in respect of Section 9(a)(iv) of National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999, which is related to corrupt practices. Pak Destiny