Ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, while referring to the Avenfield reference verdict against him and his family, said he would come to Pakistan to face the prison.
An accountability court, hearing the Avenfield property references against the Sharif family, has sentenced Nawaz to 10 years in jail, while his daughter Maryam Nawaz has been sentenced to seven years.
Addressing a press confernce in London few hours after the announcement of the verdict, the former prime minister said if the punishment for “demanding respect for vote” is jail, he is all ready to face it.
Nawaz said he has been given punishment as he was “trying to turn the course of Pakistani history”.
The ousted premier went on to say that he would continue his struggle till the Pakistani nation is not freed of the slavery imposed on them by “some generals and judges”.
He urged the people of Pakistan to come with him in this “defining moment” and “not to abandon him”.
The court announced its reserved verdict at 4:40 pm. Earlier, in the morning, the court dismissed Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz’s application filed on Thursday for a seven-day delay in the announcement of the verdict in the Avenfield corruption reference in light of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz’s health.
The court imposed £8 million fine on Nawaz while Maryam was slapped with a fine of £8 million.
Captain (retd) Safdar has been also sentenced to one year in jail.
The accountability court has also ordered to confiscate the Avenfield apartments, that were onwed by the Sharif family since 1993.