Former premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law on Monday appealed against their conviction in a corruption case in the Islamabad high court even as authorities in Punjab province booked his brother Shehbaz Sharif and top PML-N leaders on terror charges.
Seven separate appeals were filed related to the corruption cases against Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and her husband Muhammad Safdar. One appeal urged the court to set aside the anti-graft court’s verdict in the case related to the acquisition of luxury apartments in London, in which the trio was given prison terms.
Some of the appeals sought the suspension of their conviction till the high court adjudicated the main appeal, and some requested the court to transfer two more corruption cases against Sharif from the anti-graft court of Judge Mohammad Bashir to another court in Islamabad.
The appeals said Judge Bashir had passed the verdict in the Avenfield apartments case on the basis of presumptions and assumptions, and without fulfilling the “requirements of justice”. They argued that until the high court decides on the appeals, the convicts should be released on bail.
In a separate development, PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif, his son Hamza Shahbaz, former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and 50 leaders of the PML-N party have been booked on terrorism and other charges for “inciting” crowds to violate the law in Lahore on Friday at the time of the arrival of Sharif and Maryam from London.
{{/usCountry}}In a separate development, PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif, his son Hamza Shahbaz, former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and 50 leaders of the PML-N party have been booked on terrorism and other charges for “inciting” crowds to violate the law in Lahore on Friday at the time of the arrival of Sharif and Maryam from London.
{{/usCountry}}Sharif and his daughter were in London caring for his ailing wife Kulsoom when they were convicted by the anti-graft court.
An FIR lodged at Lohari police station accused Shehbaz and his son of pelting law enforcement personnel with stones, allegedly with the intention of killing them. The allegations against the PML-N leaders include damaging public properties, issuing threats and injuring law enforcement personnel.
They were accused of interfering in official work and violating rules banning large gathering and the code of conduct issued by the Election Commission for candidates, and organising illegal assemblies and rallies.
According to Lahore Police, a total of 12 FIRs were filed against the PML-N leaders.
Meanwhile, the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Monday criticised “blatant, aggressive and unabashed” attempts to manipulate the elections as politicians expressed security fears following one of the country’s deadliest terror attacks.
HRCP warned it was “gravely concerned over what it sees as blatant, aggressive and unabashed attempts to manipulate the outcome of the upcoming elections”. It said in a statement: “While it is critical that the polls are held as scheduled, there are now ample grounds to doubt their legitimacy – with alarming implications for Pakistan’s transition to an effective democracy.”
A string of terror attacks has killed 175 people across Pakistan in the past week, and there have been widespread allegations the powerful military is meddling in the run-up to the vote. A suicide bombing at a political rally in Balochistan last Friday killed 149 people.
“The attacks are taking place because security agencies are involved in politics and not doing their job,” said senior PML-N leader Mushahidullah Khan.
“The elections are being contested in an environment of fear,” Pakistan People’s Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said.