Sharif handed seven-year imprisonment

Islamabad: Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was Monday sentenced to seven years in prison in Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference. Sharif has been acquitted in Flagshipship reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). With regard to the short order, Accountability Judge Arshad Malik said that there was no case against Nawaz in the Flagship reference. He was indicted under Section 9(a)(v) and Section 10 of the National Accountability Ordinance in the Al-Azizia reference. Section 9(a)(v) says: “A holder of a public office, or any other person, is said to commit or to have committed the offence of corruption and corrupt practices if he or any of his dependents or benamidar owns, possesses, or has acquired right or title in any assets or holds irrevocable power of attorney in respect of any assets or pecuniary resources disproportionate to his known sources of income, which he cannot reasonably account for, or maintains a standard of living beyond that which is commensurate with his sources of income.” In the verdict, the court has imposed Rs3.47 billion (USD 25 million) fine on the former prime minister for failing to provide money trail. The court also ordered to seize Al-Azizia and Hill Metal property. On the other hand, Sharif’s sons Hasan and Husain have been declared absconders and permanent arrest warrants have been issued against them.