Nawaz Sharif, who was released from jail after a court suspended his sentence in a corruption case, will “expose” the Imran Khan government and launch a drive against rigging in the General election, the ousted Pakistan Prime Minister’s party Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) said on Thursday.
Party spokesperson and former Information Minister Marriyum Auranzeb said Mr. Sharif will finalise his strategy after September 21.
She said Mr. Sharif will hold consultative meetings with PML-N leaders from Saturday to discuss the party’s strategy for launching a drive against alleged vote rigging. “Sharif and PML-N strongly believe that the July 25, 2018 elections were rigged to stop the PML-N from returning to power,” she said.
The PML-N will raise its voice both in and outside Parliament to force the government for independent investigation, Ms. Auranzeb said. “Mian Sahib’s [Mr. Sharif’s] release from jail has charged the workers and leaders.”
Mr. Sharif spent Thursday with his family members at his Jati Umra residence in Lahore.
Mr. Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law retired captain Mohammad Safdar were released from Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail and flown back to Lahore on Wednesday night after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended their sentences in the Avenfield corruption case linked to Panama Papers.
The accountability court in Islamabad on July 6 sentenced Mr. Sharif, Ms. Maryam and Mr. Safdar, to 10 years, seven years and one year in jail, respectively, in connection with the purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices.
Upon receiving the release orders Mr. Sharif had said, “I was sure that I was innocent and have not done any wrongdoing. Allah will give me justice.”
The purpose of imprisoning Mr. Sharif was to pave the way for the Imran’s government, PML-N leader and former Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal said.
“It would not have been easy for them [military establishment] to manoeuvre things in the elections had Nawaz Sharif been out of jail.”
Awami National Party senior leader Iftikhar Hussain said, “The purpose they [establishment] wanted to achieve by keeping sharif in jail is done. That is why he is out of jail now. The case was so weak that Sharif could not have been awarded 10-year sentence.”
Meanwhile, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has announced that it will challenge the IHC decision to accept the petitions of the Sharifs in the Supreme Court.
