'Truth remains truth': Hamza on suspension of Sharifs' sentences
September 19, 2018
LAHORE: Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz, while reacting to Islamabad High Court's suspension of Avenfield sentences, Wednesday said that "truth remains truth and justice is done by Almighty Allah."
The IHC earlier today suspended sentences of former premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retd) Mohammad Safdar in the Avenfield corruption reference and ordered their release.
The sentences will remain suspended till the final adjudication of the appeals filed by the petitioners.
Speaking to media here, Hamza said they were thankful to Almighty Allah, adding, "Would that Mian sahib were able to tend to his ailing wife in her last days."
He, however, said that it was a great day today as the court ordered release of their leader.
"It was written in the accountability court verdict that Nawaz had not been involved in corruption," the opposition leader noted, saying that soon Nawaz would be among them.
"Mian sahib considered fulfilling his duty more important than tending to his ailing wife," he said.
"We are clean and we will face the cases courageously."
Hamza further said that it had been proven that the accountability court's verdict against former premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law was "weak."
On July 6, accountability court judge Mohammad Bashir had convicted Nawaz, Maryam and Capt (retd) Safdar in the Avenfield properties reference and sentenced them to 11, eight and one year, respectively.
Nawaz and Maryam were arrested on July 13 upon arrival in Lahore from London.
On July 16, the Sharifs had filed appeals for the Avenfield verdict to be overturned.
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court rejected a petition filed by the NAB challenging the IHC's decision to hear Sharifs' petitions against the Avenfield verdict.
On September 15, the anti-graft body had moved the Supreme Court in an effort to keep the IHC from ruling on an application from the Sharif family seeking the suspension of the Avenfield verdict.
However, imposing a Rs20,000 fine on the NAB, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar noted that justice should be served to petitioners.
