Daily Times

A day after an accountability court convicted the Sharif family in the Avenfield reference case, Maryam Nawaz, daughter of ousted premier Nawaz Sharif, Saturday said that she would return to Pakistan along with her father Nawaz Sharif on Friday (July 13).

The former first daughter was speaking to reporters in London.

“It’s written in the verdict that Nawaz Sharif is not involved in corruption,” the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader told reporters, adding: “My father has been acquitted of money laundering charges.”

Maryam said that Nawaz had faced accountability during the Musharraf’s regime but nothing was proven against him.

She said that the Avenfield case verdict was solely based on assumptions.

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

When asked if they would return before the expiry of a 10-day deadline set for the appeal, Maryam said, “Due process will be implied against the court’s decision.”

However, sources said that all the three convicted Sharif family members would challenge the accountability court’s verdict in the Islamabad High Court (IHC). “The Sharif family will challenge the July 6 verdict in the IHC tomorrow (Monday),” sources said.

On Friday, Accountability Court-I Judge Mohammad Bashir announced the verdict in the Avenfield properties reference, sentencing former premier Nawaz to 10 years in prison, besides imposing a fine of £8 million (Rs1.3 billion) on him.

His daughter, Maryam was sentenced to seven years in prison along with a fine £2 million (Rs 335 million), while her husband Captain (r) Safdar, who is in Pakistan, was handed one-year jail term.

Meanwhile, the accountability court that passed the Avenfield verdict, issued arrest warrants for Nawaz, Maryam and son-in-law Capt (r) Safdar.

Also an investigation team was sent to arrest Safdar after his arrest warrants were issued. Safdar’s name was also placed on the blacklist, restricting him from travelling abroad.

Separately, Maryam shared on social media on Saturday that she had been receiving threat messages.

“They believe that I have been instigating Nawaz Sharif against them. “The one message I received was ‘your mindset, speeches & statements are highly objectionable & you will have to pay for it’.”

The PML-N had also issued a party ticket to its Lahore wing president Ali Pervez Malik for NA-127, one of the constituencies Maryam was to contest elections from before she was disqualified.

For the provincial assembly seat of PP-173, Irfan Shafi Khokhar would be contesting in Maryam’s place on the PML-N ticket.

Earlier in the day, the Election Commission of Pakistan issued directives to halt the printing of ballot papers from NA-127 and NA-14, which were the constituencies of Maryam and Captain (r) Safdar, respectively.

The electoral body stated that Maryam’s name would be removed from the ballot papers of NA-127 Lahore while Captain (r) Safdar’s name would be removed from NA-14 Mansehra. New ballot papers of both constituencies will be printed later after receiving a court order, sources said.

Following the verdict, the Transparency International requested the British government to investigate four properties owned by Nawaz Sharif in London, media reports said.

The organisation, which combats corruption around the world and prevents related criminal activities, said an official probe needed to be launched by the Theresa May-led UK government into four estates held by Sharif, according to an official statement.

The non-governmental organisation (NGO) said that the British government should not allow the Sharifs to take refuge in England.

Published in Daily Times, July 8^th 2018.