Pakistan’s anti-graft body is reopening at least four corruption cases against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif as he is scheduled to return to the country next month, ending four years of self-exile in the United Kingdom, an official said Thursday.
The 73-year-old Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo is scheduled to return to Pakistan from London on October 21 to lead the party’s election campaign. Nawaz left the country in November 2019 on medical grounds after the Lahore High Court granted him bail for four weeks. He was serving a seven-year imprisonment in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case at Kot Lakhpat Jail Lahore.
On arrival in Lahore, his party says he will address a rally at Minar-i-Pakistan where he will give a road map to steer the country out of the economic crisis, governance problems and other issues the country is facing today.The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the light of a Supreme Court ruling which struck down amendments made to the accountability laws by the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government led by Nawaz’s younger brother Shehbaz Sharif, is reopening the four pending probes against Nawaz.
The cases are related to illegal plots and land allotment, dubious transfer of shares of his sugar mills and Toshakhana (national treasury gifts).
“Nawaz Sharif being chief minister of Punjab province in 1986 had allotted plots in Lahore to several people by misusing his authority. He is accused of illegal construction of several kilometres of road to his house in Jati Umra Raiwind, Lahore, in 1998 when he was prime minister in violation of rules.
“The third case is related to the transfer of shares in ‘illegal’ manners in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case which is owned by Nawaz Sharif and his family members. In this case, his daughter Maryam Nawaz is also accused of being a major beneficiary,” an official privy to the development told PTI on Thursday. The fourth is related to the Toshakhana case in which he is accused of taking luxurious vehicles from the national treasury in violation of rules, he said.
CASES Against Nawaz Sharif
1. Illegal Plot Allotment: Accused of allotting plots in Lahore while serving as Chief Minister in 1986.
2. Illegal Road Construction: Allegations of unauthorized road construction to his Lahore residence in 1998.
3. Chaudhry Sugar Mills Share Transfer : Accused of transferring shares in the sugar mills unlawfully.
4. Toshakhana Case: Accused of acquiring luxury vehicles from the national treasury in violation of rules.
5. Conviction-Related Case: Legal consequences related to a previous corruption conviction.
