LONDON – Transparency International has requested the British government toinvestigate four properties Nawaz Sharif holds in London,*Geo News* reportedFriday.

On Friday, the former prime minister was sentenced in absentia to 11 yearsin prison and slapped with a £8-million fine in the Avenfield propertiesreference.

The organisation, which combats corruption around the world and preventsrelated criminal activities, has said an official probe needs to belaunched by the Theresa May-led UK government into four estates held bySharif, according to an official statement.link>link>

The non-governmental organisation (NGO) has demanded that the Britishgovernment not allow the Sharifs to take refuge in England.

Transparency International has demanded proceedings to seize any propertiesfound to be obtained through corruption-related funds.

The Avenfield properties reference was one of three filed by the NationalAccountability Bureau (NAB) last year in light of the Supreme Court’sverdict against Nawaz in the Panama Papers case. The reference pertained tothe ownership of the Sharif family’s apartments at Avenfield House, London.

Nawaz’s daughter Maryam was sentenced to eight years with a £2 million fine(Rs335 million) and his son-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar Awan was given aone year sentence without any fine.

Following the verdict, Maryam and Safdar stand barred from contesting theJuly general election from Lahore and Mansehra, respectively.