Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter, Maryam Nawaz, will be arrested upon arrival to Pakistan, National Accountability Bureau sources said.
Earlier in the day, Accountability Court-I had sentenced Nawaz to a total of 11 years in prison and slapped a £8 million fine (Rs1.3 billion) in the Avenfield properties reference, while his daughter Maryam was sentenced to eight years with a £2 million fine (Rs335 million).
NAB sources claimed that the accountability bureau has been issued directives to arrest Nawaz and Maryam from the airport after they return to the country.
NAB will also get the arrest warrant of Capt (retd) Safdar from the accountability court and then arrest him.
The Avenfield properties reference was one of three filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) last year in light of the Supreme Court’s verdict against Nawaz in the Panama Papers case. The reference pertains to the ownership of the Sharif family’s apartments at Avenfield House, London.
Following the verdict, Maryam and Safdar stand barred from contesting the July general election from Lahore and Mansehra, respectively.
The Election Commission of Pakistan stated that Maryam’s name will be removed from the ballot papers of the NA-127 constituency after which new ballot papers will be printed.
Will return to Pakistan: Nawaz
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif vowed on Friday to return to Pakistan after his wife regains consciousness, despite being sentenced in the Avenfield properties case.
“It is my wish to speak to her [Kulsoom]. I [go to the hospital] every day with the hope that she regains consciousness and I am able to meet here. She has been my life partner for 45 years. This partnership is no ordinary partnership,” said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo while addressing a press conference sitting alongside his daughter Maryam Nawaz, who has been sentenced to a total of eight years in jail.
The ousted premier remarked that every possible tactic has been employed against him, which has no parallel in country’s history.
“These of types verdict and punishments are expected in the path I have undertaken,” Nawaz said while referring to the Avenfield verdict.
