RAWALPINDI: Disgruntled Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Chaudhry Nisar Saturday said that the accountability court verdict in the Avenfield reference case was what he wanted to save party supremo Nawaz Sharif from.
Nawaz was sentenced to a total of 11 years in prison and slapped with an £8 million fine (Rs1.3 billion) in the Avenfield properties reference on Friday while his daughter Maryam was sentenced to eight years with a £2 million fine (Rs 335 million).
The sentences will run concurrently, which means Nawaz will serve 10 years in prison, while Maryam seven. Additionally, Nawaz’s son-in-law Capt (retd) Safdar has been given a one year sentence without any fine. Addressing a rally earlier, Nisar, who has had strained relations with top party leadership since over a year, claimed that former premier Nawaz was disloyal to him.
“Served Nawaz for 34 years… he said I should file a request and will get a ticket [to contest election],” he said. The former interior minister also said that he would be contesting from four constituencies on the back of masses’ support. Nisar decided to contest as independent after he was asked by party leadership to formally apply for the party ticket to contest the upcoming general election.
Published in Daily Times, July 8th 2018.
