Shehbaz rejects court verdict against Nawaz Sharif

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif on Friday deplored the verdict sentencing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to ten years in prison in the Avenfield reference case.

Addressing a press conference shortly after the verdict was announced, the PML-N president said that the verdict is political and has many shortcomings, and will go down as one of the worst decisions in history.

“The accountability court’s verdict is political and has many shortcomings. The PML-N and the people of Pakistan reject the court’s verdict,” he said.

He further said the verdict is unfair, unjust and will be written in black ink as one of the worst in the history of the nation, as it replete with errors and shortcomings.

He said the cases are pending in the accountability court since years and no verdict is announced against the culprits, and the verdict against the Sharif family is completely unfair.

Praising the achievement of his brother, Shehbaz said that Nawaz Sharif served the nation and made it an atomic powerhouse despite external pressures, and initiated several development projects.

“The gift of Pakistan’s development, CPEC, was also given by Nawaz Sharif,” he said adding that projects like Gwadar port and a network of motorways were also provided by him.

He said Nawaz Sharif doesn’t deserve the punishment that he has been given today. “Nawaz Sharif doesn’t deserve the punishment awarded to him. The services of Nawaz Sharif cannot be undermined,” he said.

He further said Nawaz Sharif has always stood steadfast and despite reservation over the provision of justice appeared in court along with his daughter for 109 times.

However, he said the people will also give their verdict in favour of the Sharif family in the general elections on July 25.  “The NAB court has announced its verdict, but the court of the people still remains.”

Earlier, an accountability court sentenced Nawaz Sharif to ten years in prison and fined him eight million pounds. His daughter, Maryam Sharif, was sentenced to seven years in prison, while son-in-law retired Captain Safdar was sentenced to one year in prison.