Nawaz and Maryam meet their lawyers

• Amjad Pervaiz says Nawaz is determined and hopeful
• Maryam and Safdar refuse to avail better facilities in jail

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz met their legal counsels at Adiala jail on Saturday, where the father-daughter duo is currently serving their prison sentence following their conviction in the Avenfield corruption reference.

Talking to reporters after meeting the Sharifs, Maryam’s counsel Amjad Pervaiz said that Nawaz was in good health. The team discussed the pending appeals in the Islamabad High Court and the proceedings in the remaining two corruption references being conducted by the accountability court.

Pervaiz further said that Nawaz believes that facilities which should have been provided to him are not.

“Safdar is a heart patient and his medical record is available. He doesn’t want to opt for any other medical facility than the one in jail, nor does Maryam,” the lawyer said.

Earlier, the legal team were denied access to Nawaz, Maryam and son-in-law Capt (r) Safdar in jail.

Authorities in Adiala Central Jail “unilaterally cancelled” on Wednesday a meeting between members of the Sharif family and their legal counsel that was scheduled.

A member of the legal team said that the team had contacted the Adiala jail authorities on July 17 and requested that they are allowed to consult their clients on July 18 to determine a legal strategy.

He said that the legal team spent the entire day waiting for a definitive answer which was not forthcoming. “The jail authorities asked us to call at 8am on July 18 (Wednesday) to confirm the time of the meeting.”

However, on the same day, a delegation the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) visited the jail as observers and met Nawaz Sharif for at least 30 minutes. Interestingly, they were accompanied by at least a dozen PML-N leaders and supporters.

An anti-graft court in Islamabad had on July 6, sentenced Nawaz to a total of 11 years in prison and slapped a £8 million fine (Rs1.3 billion) in the Avenfield case, whereas Maryam received an eight-year sentence with a £2 million fine (Rs335 million).

As soon as they landed in Lahore, the deposed PM and his daughter had been taken into custody by NAB officials.