Ousted Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday was indicted in another corruption case relating to a Dubai-based company, which formed the basis of his disqualification by the Supreme Court in July.
An accountability court judge read the indictment order, saying Mr. Sharif did not disclose his income before tax authorities in Capital FZE.
Mr. Sharif did not appear before the court but was represented by Zafir Khan, who pleaded not guilty. Mr. Sharif is currently in London with his wife, who has been undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. He is expected to reach Pakistan on Monday.
Mr. Sharif had submitted through his counsel that he was a shareholder in 15 companies, including Flagship Investents, Hartstone Properties, Que Holdings, Quint Eaton Place 2, Quint Saloane, Quaint, Flagship Securities, Quint Gloucester Place, Quint Paddington, Flagship Developments, Alanna Services (BVI), Lankin SA (BVI), Chadron, Ansbacher, Coomber and Capital FZE, Dubai.
However, the charge sheet said the former Prime Minister was holding public offices during the time these businesses were established between 1990-1995. Mr. Sharif claimed that he was honorary chairman of Capital FZE and did not receive a salary. However, the Supreme Court held that he did receive payments from the company, and hence not remained truthful.
The latest indictment is a follow-up to another indictment on Thursday relating to four expensive London flats in Avenfield. Mr. Sharif’s daughter Maryam and son-in-law Captain Safdar were also indicted.
These flats remained central to the cases, which were made on the directions of the Supreme Court bench that disqualified Mr. Sharif.
The apex court has also directed the anti-corruption body, National Accountability Bureau, to decide the cases in six months. The cases are being supervised by a Supreme Court judge.
‘Political victimisation’
The Sharifs have termed the process as part of political victimisation but have failed to disclose who the conspirators were.
The cases were made after the release of Panama Papers that claimed that the Sharif family used offshore accounts to stash assets abroad, which were not declared before the tax authorities.
