Web Desk 04:45 Shahbaz Sharif/PML-N rejects Avenfield reference verdict Reacting to the Avenfield verdict, PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif rejected the accountability court order sentencing Nawaz Sharif to 10 year imprisonment. 04:25 Nawaz Sharid sentenced for 10 years in Avenfield reference Ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif has been sentenced for 10 years, while his daughter Maryam Nawaz seven years, and Capt Safdar has been given 1 year prison term in Avenfield reference. Maryam Nawaz, who was a candidate from NA-127, has been disqualified from contesting elections. 04:05 More delay in Nawaz Sharif Avenfield reference verdict The verdict of Avenfield reference has been delayed once again. It was reported earlier that the judge is reading out the order but the journalists were not allowed in, however, court staff later informed the reporters that media will be permitted inside. 03:40 Judge Mohammad Bashir announcing verdict The judge is reading out the much-awaited order of Avenfield reference. 03:07 pm Nawaz Sharif's Avenfield corruption case verdict delayed again Verdict in Nawaz Sharif's Avenfield corruption case has been delayed again and shall be announced at 03:30 pm. Giving reasons of the delay, Judge Mohammad Bashir said court staff is busy in making photocopies of the verdict that is taking time. Read more: Nation on edge as Avenfield reference verdict delayed again 03:00 pm Nawaz Sharif's Avenfield corruption case; verdict about to be announced Verdict in Nawaz Sharif's Avenfield corruption case is about to be announced shortly by Judge Mohammad Bashir. Also read: Accused can’t dictate timing of verdict, says Bilawal The court on Tuesday reserved its verdict in the Avenfield properties reference against deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar. Also read: Imran Khan says Adiala Jail is awaiting Nawaz 02:45 pm Maryam Nawaz and Ishaq Dar have reached Avenfield apartments, where they will hear the verdict with Nawaz Sharif. 02:30 pm The registrar of the court stated that the judgement will be announced by 03:00 pm. There was no information as to what caused the delay. 12:30 pm The accountability court has further delayed the announcement of verdict till 02:30 pm. 11:00 am Judge Mohammad Bashir rejected Nawaz Sharif's plea to delay the verdict in Avenfield case and remarked that the verdict would be announced at 12:30 pm. 10:40 am Commenting on the outcome of the verdict, senior journalist Suhail Warraich told Geo News that PML-N's election campaign will be affected badly in case the former prime minister is sentenced. 10:25 am Capt (retd) Safdar, who is a co-accused in Avenfield case, is busy in his election campaign in his hometown Mansehra. 09:56 am The verdict on Sharif family plea to delay the verdict has been reserved and would be announced in an hour. 09:44 am Judge Mohammad Bashir has resumed the hearing of Avenfield case. 09:35 am Although heavy security arrangements were in place, no senior PML-N leader other than Dr Asif Kirmani is present at the court. 09:15 am The Accountability court will announce the verdict at 09:30 am. 09:00 am Talking to reporters outside court, Maryam Nawaz counsel's Amjad Pervez said he was hopeful of a favourable verdict. When asked to comment on Capt Safdar, Pervez said he is not in contact with him and has no information whether Nawaz's son-in-law would attend today's hearing or not. On Monday, Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz were given a two-day exemption from appearing in the court and ordered to ensure their presence in court when the verdict is read out today. The court had also declared Hassan and Hussain Nawaz proclaimed offender in the same reference. Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz have been in London since June 14 to look after Kulsoom Nawaz, who is under intensive care there. Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has requested the Accountability Court to delay the verdict in the Avenfield reference “for a few days only” as he wants to hear it in person. Nawaz and his family are facing three corruption cases in the accountability court after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed references against them in the light of the Supreme Court's verdict in the Panama Papers case last year.<doc-sep>Pakistan’s anti-corruption court sentenced Nawaz Sharif to 10 years in prison likely putting an end to his political career Islamabad: Pakistan’s anti-corruption court on Friday convicted ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in absentia and sentenced him to 10 years in prison, in what seemed to be the end of a long and tumultuous political career of the three-time leader. Sharif, 68, is in London with his daughter, Maryam, and was convicted after failing to prove a legal source of income for buying several luxury flats in the 1990s. Maryam was also convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison. Sharif was disqualified from officein 2017 by the Supreme Court, which declared him “dishonest” for not disclosing a separate monthly income from a company owned by his son. Here are some of the highlights of Sharif’s career: 1949: Nawaz Sharif is born into a Kashmiri family of industrialists in the eastern city of Lahore. He later graduates with a law degree from Punjab University and goes to work in the family steel business 1976: Enters politics, joining the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) after the Sharif family steel business was nationalised under the government of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the beginning of a long political rivalry between the families. 1981: Joins the Punjab provincial cabinet as finance minister, becoming Punjab’s chief minister in 1985. The PML later split and Nawaz formed the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). 1990: First elected prime minister. 1993: Removed as prime minister by Pakistan’s president. He is reinstated by Supreme Court but then resigns under pressure and his party loses elections to the Pakistan People’s Party of Benazir Bhutto, daughter of Zulfiqar Bhutto. 1997: Elected prime minister for second time. During his term, Pakistan successfully tests nuclear weapons in response to regional rival India’s atomic programme. 1999: Overthrown in a military coup by General Pervez Musharraf, the country’s fourth army takeover since independence in 1947. After the coup, he was convicted of corruption and given a life sentence for hijacking over an incident when he ordered Musharraf’s plane not to land in Islamabad. 2000-2007: Allowed to go into exile in Saudi Arabia in 2000 amid reports of a deal with the military, he was given a presidential pardon the day his family left. 2007: Returns from exile to contest elections in 2007 as part of a political deal that ended Musharraf’s military rule. 2008: Loses election to the party of Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated ahead of the polls. 2013: Elected prime minister for third time. The PML-N sweeps back to power in an election the gives its allies a solid National Assembly majority. 4 April, 2016: The leaked Panama Papers show involvement of Sharif’s family in offshore companies including two used to buy luxury homes in London. 28 October, 2016: Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan threatens to paralyse the capital, Islamabad, with a “lockdown” of street protests unless demands for an independent investigation into the Panama revelations are met. Sharif denies any wrongdoing. 2 November 2016: Supreme Court agrees to set up a judicial commission to probe corruption allegations against Sharif, stemming from Panama Papers leaks. Khan backs down from lockdown threat. 28 July, 2017: Supreme Court declares Sharif disqualified from office for not declaring income from a company in United Arab Emirates, which was not in original Panama Papers revelations. The court also orders the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to open a criminal trial into ownership of the London flats along with several other Panama Papers revelations. 13 April, 2018: The Supreme Court further rules Sharif is banned from political office for life. 6 July, 2018: The NAB court convicts Sharif of corruption and sentences him in absentia to 10 years in prison.<doc-sep>
ISLAMABAD: The Accountability Court on Friday convicted and sentenced former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to 10 years jail term on corruption charges in Avenfield corruption reference in his absence. His daughter Maryam Nawaz has been awarded seven and her husband Captain (retd) Safdar 1 year imprisonment in the case. Sharif has been fined 8 million pounds and Maryam Nawaz 2 million pounds. Detailed Verdict In Avenfield Reference Case The court had reserved its verdict in first of three corruption references against Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar filed by country's corruption watchdog under Supreme Court orders. The judgment was reserved by judge Bashir Ahmed who completed the high profile trial under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge. After disqualifying Nawaz Sharif from holding office in July last year, the apex court had directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to file corruption references against members of the Sharif family. The corruption allegations against the then ruling family emanated from Panama Papers revelations in April 20016. The ousted prime minister on Thursday filed an application in the Accountability Court , seeking delay in pronouncement of the judgement due to his absence from the country. Sharif and daughter is in London since June 14 where his wife Begum Khulsoom Nawaz has been undergoing treatment for cancer. He stated in his application, moved by his lawyers, that he would return to the country after his wife shows some signs of improvement and like to hear the verdict in person. Opposition parties, particularly, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) have opposed delaying the verdict. The court would also take up the Sharif's plea today for hearing.