Abu Dhabi, July 13: Ousted Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz are all set to face ten-years and seven-years imprisonment respectively in the Avenfield corruption case. Notably, the duo of father and daughter is returning today to Pakistan from London to face the punishment in the corruption case.
Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam will land at Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Airport at 6.15 PM today as they have reached Abu Dhabi. However, before getting arrested, Nawaz Sharif urged the people of Pakistan to stand with him and change the fate of the country.
In a video message, tweeted by Maryam, ousted PM Nawaz Sharif said, "The country is at a critical juncture right now," adding "I have done what I could. I am aware that I have been sentenced to 10 years and I will be taken to a jail cell straight away. But I want the Pakistani nation to know that I am doing this for you."
Yesterday, before leaving from London, Maryam to Twitter to post pictures of the scenes in London before their departure. In one picture, the father and daughter are seen bidding a teary farewell to Kulsoom Nawaz, who is admitted in a hospital.
On the arrival of Nawaz Sharif and Maryam at Lahore, the Pakistani authorities will immediately arrest them and later the father-daughter duo will be sent to Adiala jail for imprisonment in Islamabad via helicopter.
Aiming to maintain law and order, Pakistani authorities have mobilized more than 10,000 police officers ahead of their arrival and plan to block roads with shipping containers to shut down the city of Lahore. They have also banned all public rallies today.
Last week, Pakistan’s accountability court pronounced former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam, and son-in-law Captain Safdar guilty in the Avenfield corruption reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on the Supreme Court's directives in the landmark Panamagate verdict last year which deseated then PM Nawaz.
Nawaz Sharif was sentenced for 10 years, while his daughter Maryam Nawaz seven years, and Capt Safdar has been given 1-year prison term. Nawaj have also been handed a fine of 8 million pounds, while Maryam has been fined 2m pounds.