Ousted Pak PM Sharif gets 7 years in jail in Al-Azizia case; acquitted in Flagship case

Sharif was found guilty in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills graft case, while was acquitted in the Flagship investments corruption case in the Panama Papers scandal

Image-Nawaz Sharif/AP (File photo)

New Delhi: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment by an anti-corruption court in a crucial hearing on the two remaining corruption cases against him, on Monday. He was found guilty in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills graft case, while was acquitted in the Flagship investments corruption case in the Panama Papers scandal. Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik who had reserved the verdict in the two cases against the Sharif family last week, announced the verdict in the presence of Sharif. As per Pakistan’s Geo TV, the judge said there was solid evidence against Sharif in the Al-Azizia reference case and that he was unable to provide money trail in the case. The three-time premier of Pakistan was disqualified by country’s apex court in the Panama Papers case in July, 2017. The Supreme Court had set the deadline for Monday to wrap up the remaining two corruption cases. The National Accountability Bureau of Pakistan had launched three cases against Sharif – Avenfield properties case, Flagship Investment case and Al-Azizia steel mills case. In the Avenfield properties case (relating to purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices) Sharif, daughter Maryam and son-in-law Mohammad Safdar were sentenced to eleven, eight and one year respectively. However, the three were bailed out by the Islamabad High Court in September.