Avenfield corruption case: Ex-Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif sentenced to 10 years jail

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been sentenced to 10-year prison in Avenfield corruption case.

After much delay, the accountability court of Islamabad on Friday finally announced the verdict. It was originally supposed to be announced at 12.30 PM local time. Alongside Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz has been given 7 years jail term. Maryam's husband Captain Safdar has been given 1 year jail. Both of them will be barred from contesting in the upcoming Pakistan general elections.

The Sharifs had filed an application on Thursday requesting the court to delay the verdict in the Avenfield reference and grant a seven-day exemption in the wake of Nawaz's wife, Begum Kulsoom Nawaz's deteriorating health. The accountability court on Friday dismissed Sharif's plea for a delay in the announcement of the verdict in the Avenfield corruption case against his family.

Amjad Pervez, counsel of Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam, argued that the law stipulates the presence of the accused when the verdict is read out Nawaz Sharif and his family are facing trial in three corruption cases filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), which are Avenfield properties, Gulf Steel Mills and Al-Azizia Steel Mills.

The trial against the Sharif family had commenced on September 14 last year. Nawaz and his sons, Hussain and Hasan, are accused in all three references, whereas Maryam and her husband Safdar are accused in the Avenfield reference.