LAHORE: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was shifted from Adiala to Kot Lakhpat jail amid tight security on Tuesday, after he was sentenced to seven-year jail term by an accountability court in Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference on Monday.
He was taken to Adiala jail, Rawalpindi after the verdict pronouncement. However, on his request, orders were issued by the court for shifting him to Kot Lakhpat jail, and he was flown to Lahore from Nur Khan airbase in custody of a NAB team Tuesday morning.
In order to show their love and support for the PML-N quaid, a large number of party workers and supporters gathered there when he was brought to Kot Lakhpat jail. However, because of strict security measures, they were not allowed to come close to the prison. Nonetheless some of them succeeded in reaching outside the jail when the PML-N leader was being shifted to the jail. The charged party workers chanted slogans in favour of their leader.
It is learnt that the authorities had inspected three different routes from Hajj terminal, where the flight landed, to Kot Lakhpat jail, including Ring Road; however, he was brought to the jail through Walton Road and other thoroughfares.
Near the jail, PML-N workers and supporters were seen carrying pictures of their leader while some banners had also been displayed on walls away from the area. Except for some PML-N Lahore leaders, no prominent figure from the party was seen on the occasion. Some party workers also celebrated their leader’s 69th birthday outside the jail as Dec 25 is the birthday of Nawaz Sharif.
Upon reaching Kot Lakhpat jail, the jail doctors carried out a medical examination of former PM. It is learnt that Nawaz Sharif was allotted barrack number 1.
Prominent among those who had been held at Kot Lakhpat jail in the past include incumbent prime minister Imran Khan, who was held in jail during Pervez Musharraf government.
Earlier, the Punjab government on Monday evening gave approval for better facilities for the former PM in jail under Pakistan Prison Rules 1978, Rule No 242. Reportedly, he would get a bed, a chair and a study table, heater, a TV set and newspapers.
Central Jail Kot Lakhpat Lahore was established in 1965. According to the official website of Punjab Prisons, the authorised accommodation of the jail is 1,053 prisoners, whereas 3,537 prisoners are confined there currently.
Arshad Dogar adds: Mian Nawaz Sharif has been lodged in high security barrack of Kot Lakhpat Jail.
Sources said security of the barrack has been enhanced and it has been declared a no-entry zone. The jail superintendent has ensured all B-class facilities to the high-profile prisoner.
Sources said the superintendent also assured the former premier of facility of meeting with his family on daily basis.
The administration also revised the security of the jail due to presence of hardened criminals and terrorists of proscribed organisations there.
Earlier, the police provided foolproof security during shifting of Nawaz Sharif to jail. Jammers were used to avert any untoward incident.
Geo News adds: Nawaz Sharif has been provided with a helper and he will also be allowed food from home.
Nawaz and his brother, PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, will share the same compound, but different rooms at Kot Lakhpat prison, the Punjab Home Secretary Captain (retd) Fazeel Asghar said.
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