ISLAMABAD: Reacting to the Islamabad High Court order regarding release of members of Sharif family, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Aitzaz Ahsan on Wednesday said that Nawaz Sharif is lucky and can be congratulated on this relief, ARY News reported.
Speaking exclusively to ARY News, the PPP leader- who is also considered a staunch critic of PML-N leadership- maintained that the impression that judges were under some pressure is entirely false as judges conduct their duty with honesty.
The PPP leader criticised the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for what he termed “incompetence” in pleading the case against the court.
He, however, added that the order issued today is a short order and he can only comment on the detailed verdict.
The IHC judgement
The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday suspended the prison sentences handed to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Mohammad Safdar in the Avenfield corruption reference.
An IHC division bench, while hearing the appeals by the Sharifs and Capt Safdar against the July 6 accountability court verdict. The judges accepted the convicts’ petitions against the Avenfield verdict, ruling that the sentences would remain suspended until the final judgement on their appeals.
An accountability court on July 6, had handed Nawaz Sharif 10 years as jail time for owning assets beyond income and 1 year for not cooperating with NAB in the Avenfield properties corruption reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
His daughter Maryam Nawaz was given 7 years for abetment, and her husband Captain (retd) Safdar was given 1 year for non-cooperation with the anti-graft authority.