RAWALPINDI – A team of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officialsfinally arrested Captain (r) Safdar Awan, a son-in-law of ousted PM NawazSharif, from party’s office at Rawalpindi’s 6th road on Saturday.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, who has been convicted ina corruption case pertaining to upscale London properties of Sharif familyfor abetment, had been on the run since the verdict in Avenfield referencewas out on Friday.
On Saturday night, the NAB team raided Safdar’s house in Mansehra as herefused to surrender in his hometown.
Earlier yesterday, the anti-corruption watchdog obtained the arrest warrantand fielded its three teams in Haripur, Abbottabad, and Mansehra to arrestMr Safdar.
On Friday, an accountability court sentenced Capt (r) Safdar to one year injail for cheating while announcing the verdict in a corruption referencepertaining to Sharif family’s Avenfield apartment in London, UK.
Judge Muhammad Bashir also handed a 10-year sentence and £8 million (Rs1.29billion) to Nawaz Sharif. He also sentenced Sharif’s daughter, MaryamNawaz, to seven years in jail for forgery and making assets through illegalsources in the landmark decision. She has been ordered to pay a fine of £2million (Rs320 million).
The three convicts were given one-year jail term, which will runconcurrently, for not cooperating with the bureau during the probe into thecase. In the light of this verdict, both Maryam and her spouse cannotcontest elections, while Sharif has already been disqualified for life bythe Supreme Court in Panamagate case.
The court also ordered forfeiture of their property in the AvenfieldApartments, Park Lane, London.
Following the verdict, the NAB has also obtained arrest warrants of formerprime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam. NAB sources revealedthat the former premier and his daughter will be arrested upon arrival toPakistan from London.
Muhammad Sajjad, brother of Safdar, said that his brother was inconsultation with his lawyer to obtain pre-arrest bail by challenging theverdict in the high court.
Safdar’s name has been included in blacklist on Saturday as was feared toflee the country, the anti-corruption watchdog said.
The Maryam’s husband, who was in the run for elections from NA-14constituency, could not take part in elections as the accountability courthas barred him and his spouse from contesting polls for ten years.