ISLAMABAD – Ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif will be sent to a jail inthe ‘Better Class’ category by virtue of being a former parliamentarian,but his daughter Maryam Nawaz can avail the facility only if she provesthat she has paid at least Rs 600,000 as annual income tax, according toauthorities.
Sharif and Maryam were convicted by a Pakistani court in the AvenfieldApartments reference and sentenced to 10 and 7 years in jail respectively.
The father-daughter duo will be arrested upon their arrival at the Lahoreairport on Friday from London where they are looking after Sharif’s wife,Kulsoom Nawaz, who is suffering from throat cancer and has been onventilator since June 14 after a cardiac arrest.ADVERTISEMENT
“Sharif will be sent to a jail in the ‘Better Class’ category by virtue ofbeing a former parliamentarian, but Maryam can avail the facility only ifshe proves that she has paid at least Rs 600,000 as annual income tax,”Dawn reported, citing authorities.
They would have to submit an application requesting a Better Class jail, asit won’t automatically apply to them. Furthermore, the jails would not befurnished with an air-conditioner or a refrigerator.
“This is what the family can get under the law,” the paper quoted a seniorofficial of the home department as saying.
“Capt (retd.) Muhammad Safdar, Sharif’s son-in-law, can also get a BetterClass jail after submitting an application. He had not applied for it inwriting by last evening and was therefore not given a jail in thatcategory,” an official source was quoted as saying.ADVERTISEMENT
Officials said the British–era categories of A, B or C class jails in thePunjab province do not apply anymore. The classification was changed toBetter Class and Ordinary Class through an amendment to the Punjab JailsRules on a direction of the Lahore High Court few years ago.
Under the rules, 68-year-old Sharif can get a Better Class jail if hesubmits an application requesting it. However, the rules do not provideadditional privilege to any former or serving president, prime minister orchief minister.
Since Maryam is neither a former nor serving gazetted military or civilofficer, like her husband, or a sitting or former parliamentarian, like herfather, she can claim Better Class only if she proves, with documents, thatshe has paid at least an annual income tax of Rs 600,000, the paper said.
The Better Class jails have limited facilities. Those availing the optionare entitled to books and newspapers, a 21-inch television, a table and achair, a mattress, personal bedding and clothing and food. The prisonershave to pay for all this themselves. The government is only obligated toprovide them security in a high-security ward where they will be kept awayfrom other prisoners.
According to the legal procedure, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB)will have to produce Sharif and Maryam before the accountability judge whohad convicted them. The judge will then give the NAB a warrant of contract,which would carry details of the punishment given to them and directions tothe jail superintendent to take them into custody, the paper said.
Officials said it is the judge who decides which prison the convicts willbe kept in initially. But Sharif and his daughter are likely to be confinedto Adiala Jail, because it has a secluded high-security ward.