Nawaz Sharif, Maryam to approach Islamabad HC against conviction; official panel recommends placing them on exit control list

Islamabad: Jailed former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law are set to approach the court on Monday against their conviction in a corruption case, according to a media report on Sunday. Sharif, 68, and his daughter Maryam, 44, were arrested in Lahore on Friday on their arrival from London after an accountability court found them guilty on 6 July over his family’s ownership of four luxury flats in London. The appeals against the conviction of Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and retired Captain M Safdar are likely to be filed before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday, Dawn newspaper reported. [caption id=“attachment_4746891” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif. AP[/caption] Lawyers for Sharif met him in the high-security Adiala jail and obtained his signatures on the papers of attorney, the paper quoted sources privy to the legal team of the three-time prime minister as saying. The legal team will not only challenge the accountability court’s verdict against the Sharifs, but they are also planning to file two more appeals against the law ministry’s notification for jail trial and for transfer of two more pending corruption cases — Al-Azizia and Flagship — before accountability court judge Mohammad Bashir. In the 6 July judgement, Judge Bashir acquitted Sharif of the charge of corrupt practice, but convicted him, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Safdar for owning assets beyond means and awarded 10 years jail to Sharif, seven years to Maryam and one year to her husband Safdar. Leading advocate Khawaja Haris would lead the legal team of Sharif, the report said. Three miscellaneous applications would also be filed for suspension of verdict of Judge Bashir before the IHC Court on Monday, it said. Sharif’s legal team will also file the appeal against dismissal of an application by Judge Bashir of the accountability court, seeking transfer of Al-Azizia and Flagship cases to another judge. A separate petition against the notification issued by the caretaker government for conducting the trial of Sharif in Adiala jail will also land in the IHC next week, the report said. Meanwhile, the subcommittee of the caretaker federal Cabinet on Saturday recommended placing the names of Sharif and Maryam on the exit control list (ECL). A senior official said their names had been recommended to be added to the ECL on the request of the National Accountability Bureau. Persons placed on the ECL are barred from leaving the country. Sharif’s wife Kulsoom is on ventilator at a hospital in London. She has been undergoing treatment for throat cancer.