Sharif kept in ‘deplorable’ conditions, claims party aide

ISLAMABAD: Nawaz Sharif is being held in solitary confinement under “deplorable” conditions at the Adiala central jail, an aide of the former Pakistani premier has claimed.

Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz, who is also being held at the same prison, was allowed to see him for the first time after six days on Thursday, said Pervaiz Rashid, spokesman for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, after his visit to Sharif.

Media reports said that the distance between the cells of the two detainees is about half a kilometre.

Rashid, a former information minister, alleged that the fatherdaughter duo is being kept in very poor conditions.

Sharif and his son-in-law Captain Safdar, who is also at Adiala, have been given “B” class facilities according to their entitlement as former members of parliament. Maryam has not been offered “B” class and instead been given a lower class.

Jail authorities said Nawaz Sharif and Safdar had applied for the better class. However, Maryam had refused to apply for it. In her signed letter, she said: “I was offered to apply for better class facilities by the superintendent of the jail, as per the rules that I refused of my own will. This is purely my own decision, taken without any pressure from anyone.”

But pressure is growing on the caretaker government to shift the Sharif family. They are yet to be moved to the Police Guest House in Sihala, though there were reports that they would be shifted to the facility that would be turned into a sub-jail.

Additional Inspector General Prison Department Malik Mubashar Ahmed Khan said that jail rules and regulations are being followed and all possible facilities have been provided to Maryam Nawaz as well.

Sharif’s lawyers have claimed that they were allowed to meet him only briefly, a day after he was shifted to the Adiala jail. The legal team was only allowed to meet the deposed premier for five minutes. Lawyers Saad Hashmi and Zafar Khan went to Sharif to attain a power of attorney for filing an appeal in the Islamabad High Court.