Pakistan Court suspends jail term; Nawaz Sharif and daughter Maryam to be released

Only last week, they were temporarily released by the authorities, in order to attend the funeral services of his wife Kulsoom, who passed away in London. Mrs. Sharif was suffering from cancer.

In yet another twist to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam's fate, the Islamabad High Court in Pakistan today ordered for the release of both father and daughter; suspending their jail term related to a corruption case, with regard to Sharif family's ownership of upscale London flats, as reported by the local media. Pakistani media houses said that the HC suspended the decade-long sentencing for Sharif and the seven-year term for Maryam. Only last week, they were temporarily released by the authorities, in order to attend the funeral services of his wife Kulsoom, who passed away in London. Mrs. Sharif was suffering from cancer.

Ousted as prime minister last year by the Supreme Court over some undeclared income, Nawaz Sharif was in London with Kulsoom this year when a separate anti-graft court handed him a 10-year jail term in absentia over the ownership of luxury flats in London in the 1990s.

The former Prime Minister was expelled last year by the apex court over the possession of undisclosed income. While he was with his ailing wife in London, a separate anti-graft court handed him the 10-year jail term when Sharif sided away over his ownership of luxury flats in London in the 90s. Sharif's daughter Maryam was handed over the seven-year jail term on related charges.

However, both Nawaz and Maryam are denying the charges framed against them and that they haven't broken any law. Moreover, there is no concrete evidence to prove that the flats were purchased with corrupted money.

Post the funeral of Kulsoom, the father and daughter returned homeland to rally for the then general elections that were held on July 25, won by cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan's party PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf). However, both the father and daughter were arrested on their arrival at Lahore airport and had been behind bars since.