Pak court to deliver judgment in two corruption cases against former PM Nawaz Sharif

An anti-corruption court in Pakistan will deliver its judgment on Monday in two remaining corruption cases against ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik of Islamabad-based accountability court last week reserved the judgment after completion of hearing in the Flagship Investment and Al-Azizia cases against 68-year-old Sharif.

The Supreme Court set the deadline for Monday to wrap up the remaining two corruption cases against the three-time former prime minister. If found guilty, Sharif can be sentenced up to 14 years in jail. Sharif arrived in Islamabad from Lahore on Sunday, a day ahead of the verdict.

He is expected to hear the judgement in the courtroom. Entry to the accountability court has been restricted.

No one will be allowed to attend proceedings on Monday except those having permission of the registrar, the Dawn reported. PML-N workers have gathered outside the court premises to show their support for the party's supreme leader.

Security has been beefed up around the judicial complex, with heavy contingents of police and Rangers deployed around the building and along roads leading to the court. The accountability court had indicted Sharif for holding assets beyond his known sources of income in August 2017.

Last week, the judge rejected application by Sharif's lawyer Khawaja Harris to provide one week time to submit more documents but allowed him to provide any document by Friday last.

The judge also observed that the court was bound to follow December 24 final deadline set by the Supreme Court. Three cases - Avenfield properties case, Flagship Investment case and Al-Azizia steel mills case - were launched by the National Accountability Bureau on September 8, 2017 following a judgment by the apex court that disqualified Sharif.

The apex court initially set six month deadline to conclude the cases but it was subsequently increase around eight times on the request of the accountability court. Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case in July, 2017.

In July, 2018 Sharif, his daughter Maryam and his son-in-law retired captain Mohammad Safdar were sentenced to 11 years, eight years and one year respectively in prison in the Avenfield properties case related to their purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices.

However, the three were bailed out by the Islamabad High Court in September. His two sons - Hassan and Hussain - were also co-accused in all three cases but they were declared absconders for failing to appear before the court even for a single time.

The court decided to hear their cases separately once they returned back. The three-time former prime minister and his family have denied any wrongdoing.

Sharif, who religiously followed the proceeding by appearing before the court for at least 78 times, told the media after the court reserved the judgment last week that he not committed any corruption.

"Not a penny of corruption has been proven against me…I am very happy that I have done my duty, and I think that since I have stepped in politics I have never indulged in corruption nor have misused my power," he said.

Veteran politician Javed Hashmi on Saturday predicted that Sharif will be convicted in the Flagship and Al-Azizia case as "the institutions won't let these (cases) prove false".

Talking to the media in Multan, he said that the purpose of the NAB was to make politicians change their political loyalties.

"I will not accept this decision as Nawaz Sharif will be convicted at any cost," he was quoted as saying by Dawn newspaper.