–Former PM has lunch with family, Maryam gives update on legal consultations with defence team
LAHORE: Family members and leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Thursday met incarcerated former prime minister Nawaz Sharif at the Kot Lakhpat jail.
Nawaz is currently being held at the Kot Lakhpat jail after an accountability court handed him a seven-year sentence in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference on Monday. Following this, he was shifted from Rawalpindi to Lahore.
Nawaz’s mother Shamim Akhtar, his daughter Maryam and nephew Hamza Shehbaz were among the family members who visited the former premier. According to reports, Nawaz also had lunch with family members.
Nawaz’s mother reportedly became emotional after seeing her son in prison. Moreover, Maryam briefed her father about the consultations underway with his defence team.
Earlier, Nawaz Sharif was allotted inmate number 4,470 after being shifted to the Kot Lakhpat Jail.
Later, PML-N leaders including Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Ahsan Iqbal and Rana Tanveer also called on the party’s supremo.
While talking to reporters outside the jail, Sadiq expressed the party’s reservations over the judgement. He said that “a bail application will be moved soon and expressed his hope that they would secure bail for Nawaz Sharif”.
He further claimed that the decision “doesn’t specify financial corruption done by Nawaz” and lauded that the former PM honoured the supremacy of law.
“The three-time prime minister had been appearing before a joint investigation team. There is no such precedent in the past, nor would be in the future,” he added.
Talking to reporters, Ahsan Iqbal said that it is unfortunate to see Nawaz, who made Pakistan an atomic power, behind the bars.
The former interior minister said that it is unfortunate that a leader like Nawaz Sharif, who brought China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) home, was ousted from his office.
He said that “there is no leadership crisis as both the party’s leaders [Nawaz and Shehbaz] are in the country” and added that “the entire leadership is in touch with the party”.
“The popularity of the party is skyrocketing,” Iqbal claimed.
The seasoned politician asserted that the “people of Pakistan have realised that except for the anti-Nawaz rhetoric, the government has nothing to offer to them”.
“Our party has decided to give substantial time to the incumbent government so that people can know that their leader [Imran Khan] is a liar,” said the PML-N leader.
Iqbal further claimed that “Imran Khan claimed about the plundered money which was not proved in all three [assets-beyond-means and money laundering] references”.
“Throughout the history, no prime minister has left his office with dignity,” he lamented, adding that “those who voted in favour of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are praying for the government to go home”.
Rana Tanveer claimed that “the PML-N was being subjected to a political vendetta and accused the government of using dual standards”.
