Nawaz, daughter held on Lahore touchdown
Ahead of polls, arrest turns into show of strength for PMLN chief
ISLAMABAD: Ousted Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam were arrested on their arrival in Lahore on Friday night to face lengthy prison sentences in a move aimed at galvanising their beleaguered PML-N party ahead of the July 25 general elections.
After being detained within an Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi by personnel from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Pakistan Rangers, Sharif and his daughter were put on a special flight to Islamabad in order to be moved to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.
The 68-year-old three-time premier and 44-year-old Maryam, his political heir, were sentenced in absentia for alleged corrupt practices linked to the acquisition of four apartments in London a week ago.
Sharif, who was ousted from the premier’s post by the Supreme Court in July last year for alleged corruption, was in London with Maryam to care for his wife Kulsoom, who is being treated for cancer and is in a coma.
Last week, Nawaz Sharif was convicted after failing to prove a legal source of income for buying several luxury flats in London — the latest blow to the political career of the former Pakistan premier
2016
APRIL 4: The leaked Panama Papers show alleged involvement of Sharif’s family in offshore companies including two used to buy luxury homes in London. Sharif denies any wrongdoing
OCTOBER 28: Imran Khan threatens to paralyse Islamabad with street protests unless demands for an independent probe into the Panama revelations are met
NOVEMBER 2: Supreme Court agrees to set up a judicial commission to probe corruption allegations against Sharif
2017
JULY 28: Supreme Court declares Sharif disqualified from office for not declaring income from a company in UAE, which was not in
original Panama Papers revelations. The court also orders the National Accountability Bureau to open a criminal trial into ownership of the London flats along with several other Panama Papers revelations
2018
April 13: Supreme Court rules Sharif is banned from political office for life
June 14: Sharif and his daughter and political heir Maryam Nawaz leave for London to visit his ailing wife Kulsoom Nawaz, who is being treated for cancer
July 6: NAB court convicts Sharif of corruption and sentences him in absentia to 10 years in prison. Maryam is also convicted
July 13: Sharif and Maryam return to Pakistan