Pak court suspends jail sentences of Sharif, daughter Maryam
In a major relief to the Sharif family, a top Pakistani court suspended on Wednesday the jail sentences of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law in a corruption case and ordered their release from a high-security prison.
On July 6, the accountability court had sentenced Nawaz Sharif + to ten years in prison for owning assets beyond income in the Avenfield corruption case and had added one year to the sentence for not cooperating with the National Accountability Bureau.
Along with Nawaz, the court had also pronounced his daughter Maryam and his son-in-law + Safdar Awan guilty. Maryam was sentenced to eight years, while Safdar was given a one-year sentence.
Today, a two-judge bench of the Islamabad High Court heard the petitions filed by the Sharifs, challenging their conviction related to the purchase of luxury flats in London.
While reading the judgment, Justice Athar Minallah of Islamabad High Court said that "the NAB, after conducting a thorough investigation, couldn't bring any evidence of Nawaz Sharif's ownership of the Avenfield apartments, but you want us to admit his ownership on mere presumption."
The trio will be released from the prison today itself after completion of formalities, reported Dawn.
Sharif, Maryam and Safdar were also directed to submit bail bonds worth Rs 0.5 million each.
On July 6, the accountability court had sentenced Nawaz Sharif + to ten years in prison for owning assets beyond income in the Avenfield corruption case and had added one year to the sentence for not cooperating with the National Accountability Bureau.
Along with Nawaz, the court had also pronounced his daughter Maryam and his son-in-law + Safdar Awan guilty. Maryam was sentenced to eight years, while Safdar was given a one-year sentence.
Today, a two-judge bench of the Islamabad High Court heard the petitions filed by the Sharifs, challenging their conviction related to the purchase of luxury flats in London.
While reading the judgment, Justice Athar Minallah of Islamabad High Court said that "the NAB, after conducting a thorough investigation, couldn't bring any evidence of Nawaz Sharif's ownership of the Avenfield apartments, but you want us to admit his ownership on mere presumption."
The trio will be released from the prison today itself after completion of formalities, reported Dawn.
Sharif, Maryam and Safdar were also directed to submit bail bonds worth Rs 0.5 million each.
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