Court acquits Pak ex-PM Nawaz Sharif in Al-Azizia corruption case, paves way for his political comeback
Nawaz Sharif
The stage is set forformer Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif's political comeback as the Islamabad High Court on Tuesday (Dec 12)acquitted him in theAl-Aziziya reference case, according to a report in Dawn.
The two-judge bench of IHC, comprising Chief JusticeAamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb announced the verdict.
The 73-year-old chief ofthe Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz)party had filed pleas in the IHC, challenging his conviction in the Avenfield property and Al-Azizia cases. He was acquitted of the former in November by the same bench.
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What is theAl-Azizia graft case?
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The Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference pertains to a case in which Nawaz was sentenced to seven years in jailon Dec 24, 2018. He was also fined $25 million. The Sharifs were unable to clarify the source of funds provided to set upAl-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment (HME) in Saudi Arabia.
In 2019, the Lahore High Court (LHC) suspended his sentence and allowed Nawaz to go abroad for medical treatment. Subsequently, he went to London on November 19, 2019, and since then, never returned.
What next for Sharif?
Although acquittal in both cases has paved way for Sharif's return to Pakistan's polity, he still has another hurdle to cross. He remains disqualified from holding office by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case. The apex court, while interpreting Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitutionruled that the disqualification is for life.
Also read |Pakistan ex-PM Nawaz Sharif acquitted in corruption cases ahead of general elections
Sharif, holed upin London since 2019, has been looking to make a comeback for a long time. The whispers surrounding his return to Pakistan soil have been doing the rounds since November last year when he was issued a five-year diplomatic passport by the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Nawaz's presence is expected to boost the fortunes of PML-N as the party leaders believe that his presence is necessary to stop the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party which has the public sentiment behind it, ever since the former cricketer's imprisonment. The general elections are scheduled to be held early next year.
(With inputs from agencies)