Nawaz, Maryam decide to appeal against conviction

ISLAMABAD: Ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz have decided to approach the Islamabad High Court challenging their conviction by an accountability court in the Avenfield properties reference, ARY News reported.

The former premier, who has been in London, on Saturday discussed the legal recourse after the conviction with his legal team via telephone from the British capital.

Sources privy to this development quoted lawyers as suggesting that Sharif and his daughter should return within a period of ten days as it will be difficult for them to get relief from courts if they don’t return.

Besides, Captain (retd) Safdar, who is in Islamabad, is said to have made up his mind to surrender on Monday.

On Friday, the PML-N supreme leader was awarded 10 years in prison, while his daughter Maryam Nawaz and her spouse Capt. Safdar were handed seven years’ and one year’s prison term, respectively.

Judge Muhammad Bashir ordered forfeiture of their properties in the Avenfield Apartments and Park Lane of London. He imposed a fine of £8 million (approximately Rs1,292m) on the former premier and £2 million (approximately Rs323m) on his daughter.

Besides, three convicts were awarded an additional one-year imprisonment, which will run concurrently for not cooperating with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

According to the verdict, the prosecution failed to establish the charge of corrupt practices against them.

Sharif’s two sons – Hussain and Hassan Nawaz – were declared fugitives and warrants for their arrest were issued for staying away from the trial proceedings.