Maryam Nawaz's acquittal slap on accountability system used to target Sharifs': PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif Thursday slammed the accountability system of the country that was allegedly employed to target the Sharif family after PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz was acquitted in the Avenfield corruption case.

The premier took to Twitter after the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) ruling accepting the PML-N leader’s plea against her conviction.

“The edifice of lies, slander and character assassination has come crumbling down today. Maryam Nawaz's acquittal in the Avenfield Reference is a slap in the face of the so-called accountability system that was employed to target the Sharif family,” the premier said whild congratulating his niece and her husband Safdar.

An accountability court had awarded 10 years of imprisonment along with an £8 million fine to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, seven years of imprisonment along with a penalty to Maryam, and one year of imprisonment to captain (retd) Safdar in Avenfield properties reference on July 6, 2018.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had accused the PML-N leader of abetting her father and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in committing the crime.

A two-member bench of the IHC comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard her plea and announced the verdict after the arguments were completed from both sides.

"NAB   failed to prove the case against accused," the court said in its ruling.