Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was on Monday handed a seven-year jail term in a graft case by an accountability court in Islamabad while acquitting him in another.
Sharif, who served as Pakistan’s primer from 5 June 2013 to 28 July 2017 before his removal from office by the country’s Supreme Court, was immediately taken into custody and will be taken to Adiala Jail.
An accountability court sentenced the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) chief in a corruption case related to the Al-Azizia Steel Mills.
The court also ordered that the properties belonging to the 68-year-old Pakistani leader be seized. According to Dawn, the court also fined Nawaz Rs 1.5 billion in Pakistani currency.
Pakistani media reported that while the court found enough evidence against Sharif in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference, it acquitted him in the Flagship Investments reference citing lack of sufficient evidence for conviction. The former premier was thus acquitted in the Flagship Investments reference.
Dawn reported that armoured vehicles were on stand-by outside the court to transport the former Prime Minister to prison. His lawyer has requested that Sharif be shifted to Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail instead of Adiala Jail citing medical condition. The court has asked for Nawaz’s medical reports.
Earlier today, PML-N workers gathered outside the court to show their support for the party leader as early as 7.30 am.
The trial against the Sharif family commenced on 14 September 2017. The Pakistani Supreme Court had on 7 December directed the accountability court to conclude the cases by 24 December.
The accountability court had on 6 July given its verdict in the Avenfield reference sentencing Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law to 11 years, eight years and one year, respectively, in prison.
Both Sharif and Maryam were released from jail on September 19 after the Islamabad High Court suspended their sentences in the Avenfield case.