Nawaz plays victim, says returning to face jail for people

Abu Dhabi [U.A.E.], July 13 (ANI): Ahead of his imminent imprisonment, former prime minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif urged his followers to stand with him to "change the fate of the country."

Maryam Nawaz, who is enroute to Pakistan from London, along with her father Nawaz Sharif, tweeted a video message by the deposed prime minister in which he said, "I am aware that I have been sentenced to 10 years [in prison] and I will be taken to a jail cell straight away. But I want the Pakistani nation to know that I am doing this for you. I urge everyone to come and stand with me and let's change the fate of the country."

Former three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif was convicted in absentia last week for a corruption scandal and sentenced to 10 years in prison. His daughter Maryam was handed 8-year jail term in the same case.

The father-duo were in London, where Nawaz's wife Kulsoom Nawaz is hospitalised and is undergoing treatment for cancer.

According to The Dawn newspaper, Nawaz and Maryam are expected to land at Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Airport at 6:15 pm local time on Friday via Abu Dhabi.

Both will be arrested on their arrival at Lahore airport from where they will be taken to Islamabad by a helicopter, and then will be sent to Adiala jail for imprisonment, reported The Dawn.

Maryam posted pictures on Twitter of the scenes in London before their departure for Pakistan. In one of the pictures, the father and daughter are seen bidding a teary farewell to ailing Kulsoom Nawaz.

A 16-member team of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) team, including two women officers, has been formed under the headship of Director Amjad Ali Aulakh to arrest the father and the daughter.

NAB sources in Islamabad said that both the convicted would be kept at Adiala jail for a day before being transferred to the notorious Attock Fort prison.

In April, Pakistan's Supreme Court disqualified Nawaz from contesting elections for the rest of his life because of his corruption cases as revealed in the Panama Papers.

Sharif had stepped down as prime minister in July last year after the country's apex court disqualified him from office over undeclared assets. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI