Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was on Monday sentenced to seven years in jail by an anti-corruption court in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills graft case. It, however, acquitted him in the Flagship Investments corruption case in the high-profile Panama Papers scandal.
Accountability Court II Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik announced the verdict in the two remaining corruption cases against the Sharif family, after reserving the decision last week.
Judge Malik said there was concrete evidence against the 68-year-old former Premier in the Al-Azizia reference, and that he was unable to provide a money trail in the case, Geo TV reported.
Mr. Sharif was present in the court when the verdict was announced.
The Supreme Court set the deadline for Monday to wrap up the remaining two corruption cases against the three-time former Prime Minister.
Three cases — the Avenfield properties case, the Flagship Investment case and the 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 Mr. Sharif.
Mr. Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case in July, 2017.
In July 2018 Mr. Sharif; his daughter, Maryam; and his son-in-law, Captain (retd.) 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.
