- No reason to be over the moon
The suspension of the NAB court’s sentence in Avenfield reference and the release of the three accused is the first good news for the Sharif family and the PML-N since Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification in Panama Papers case. The disqualification was followed by a series of adverse happenings that included the conviction of the former PM, his daughter and son-in-law on corruption charges, the loss of the elections and the demise of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz after a prolonged illness.
The IHC verdict is however no more than a temporary relief. The sentence handed down in Avenfield reference in July this year has not been quashed but only suspended till the IHC delivers its verdict on appeals against the sentence. The court intends to fast track the hearings. In case the appeals lead to the overturning of the accountability court verdict, this would provide an opportunity to the PML-N to maintain that Nawaz was sentenced to stop him from leading the election campaign and with the main challenger thrown out, elections in Punjab were one-sided and Imran Khan was simply provided a walkover.
The IHC suspended the Avenfield verdict because it was based on presumptions. The NAB couldn’t bring any evidence of Nawaz Sharif’s ownership of the Avenfield apartments. The prosecution failed to convince the court why the accused should not be given the benefit of doubt. The IHC found nothing in the case to justify the sentence passed on Maryam Nawaz and Safdar.
Even if the Avenfield judgment is struck down, Nawaz still faces two other references against him though Maryam and Safdar can heave a sigh of relief as there is presently no other case against them. Even if Nawaz Sharif is held to be innocent in the other two cases, he will remain disqualified from holding public office on account of the Supreme Court judgment in Panama Papers case. Maryam Nawaz, his heir apparent, will however face no bar vis-a-vis holding a public or party office.
The jubilation on the part of the PML-N is understandable. The party would however do well not to be over exultant.