Nawaz, Maryam to return on Friday

LONDON: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz on Saturday announced that she will return to Pakistan along with her father Muhammad Nawaz Sharif to face jail.

She was speaking to reporters here, a day after the accountability court verdict in the Avenfield Apartments case.

"It’s written in the verdict that Nawaz Sharif is not involved in corruption. My father has been acquitted of money laundering charges. I congratulate the workers of PML-N and the people of Pakistan that their leader Nawaz Sharif has received a clean chit from the court confirming that he has never been involved in corruption, dishonesty, misuse of public money throughout his career in politics," said Maryam.

She said her father had also faced accountability during the Musharraf regime but nothing was proven against him.

She said the Avenfield verdict given by an accountability court was solely based on assumptions.

"The United Kingdom authorities authenticated the trust deed. It was between me and my brother Hussain, testified by a renowned UK lawyer and UK authorities have no issue with it; it’s completely legitimate in the UK but the NAB and a court in Pakistan have issue with it," she added.

Maryam said the authorities should use red warrants to bring back dictators, who violated the Constitution of Pakistan.

She further said consultation was underway against the decision and their lawyers were looking into the matter from different angles.

Asked if they would return before the expiry of 10-day deadline set for appeal, Maryam said: “Due process will be followed against the court decision.”

The former premier and his daughter will reach Lahore from London on July 13. It’s understood that Hamza Shehbaz would be in charge of arrangements for welcoming the party supremo at the airport.

The PML-N ticket-holders have also been directed to reach the airport to welcome Nawaz, the sources added.

On Friday, Accountability Court-I Judge Mohammad Bashir announced the verdict in the Avenfield properties reference.

Apart from the prison sentence, Nawaz Sharif was given a £8 million fine (Rs1.3 billion), while Maryam was fined £2 million (Rs335 million).

Nawaz has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment under the NAB Ordinance Section 9(a)(v), which relates to owning assets disproportionate to known sources of income.

The Section 9(a)(v) of the NAB ordinance states: “A holder of a public office, or any other person, is said to commit or to have committed the offence of corruption and corrupt practices…. if he or any of his dependents or benamidar owns, possesses, or has [acquired] right or title in any [“assets or holds irrevocable power of attorney in respect of any assets] or pecuniary resources disproportionate to his known sources of income, which he cannot [reasonably] account for [or maintains a standard of living beyond that which is commensurate with his sources of income.]”

On the other hand, Maryam has been sentenced to seven years in prison for abetment.

According to the 173-page long verdict, "Accused Maryam Nawaz aided, assisted, abetted, attempted and acted in conspiracy with her father accused Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif who was holder of Public Office."

Moreover, Maryam and Nawaz were given an additional year-long imprisonment for not cooperating during the investigation.