Law will take its due course, PTI reacts to IHC decision

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf put forth its official response on Wednesday after the Islamabad High Court verdict suspended sentences of former premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar in the Avenfield corruption reference and ordered their release.

In its reaction, the ruling party’s spokesman and Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that the matter will proceed and hopefully law will take its due course.

Chaudhry said that the party has complete trust on the judiciary and the courts in Pakistan are free.

The official statement by the PTI spokesman said the National Accountability Bureau is an independent institution and carries out its own activities, adding that the government has no role in it.

“The government and public want action against those involved in corruption. The nation wants that its looted money be brought back and the government should ensure that the objective is achieved,” said Fawad Chaudhry.

He further said that the nation has no doubts over the role of the Sharif family, adding that the Sharifs failed to prove that from where they made a fortune worth billions of rupees.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb gave the judgment on petitions filed by Nawaz, Maryam and Capt (retd) Safdar challenging the Avenfield verdict against them.

Justice Minallah read the judgment and suspended the sentences handed to the three by accountability court judge Mohammad Bashir on July 6. Nawaz, Maryam and Capt (retd) Safdar were sentenced to 11 years, eight years and one year, respectively, in prison in the Avenfield properties reference.

Ordering their release, the two-judge bench directed the former premier, his daughter and son-in-law to submit bail bonds worth Rs0.5 million each.

The sentences will remain suspended till the final adjudication of the appeals filed by the petitioners.