ISLAMABAD – London-based forensic company has authenticated a video inwhich a Pakistani judge accepts he sentenced former premier Nawaz Shariflast year in a corruption case “under pressure”, local media reportedWednesday.
The British Digital Forensic Organization in a 43-page report declared thevideo of judge Arshad Malik as “original” and “genuine”, local broadcasterGeo News said citing the report.
The video which surfaced in July shows the judge confessing to having been”blackmailed” into announcing a verdict against the three-time primeminister, who is currently in jail.
It was secretly recorded by Nasir Butt, a U.K.-based leader of Sharif’sPakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party.
The forensic report is likely to be produced by Sharif’s lawyers asevidence before the Islamabad High Court, which is set to hear thepremier’s appeal against conviction this week.
The top court has asked the Islamabad court to assess the authenticity ofthe much-publicized video during the hearing.
Last December, Sharif was sentenced to seven years in jail after 15 monthsof legal proceedings in corruption cases, popularly known as Al AziziaSteel Mills case.
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Last May, he was also sentenced to 10 years in jail in a corruption casestemming from the whistleblower Panama Papers scandal. But the convictionhas now been suspended.
His daughter and political heir Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Mohammad Safdarwere also sentenced to seven years and one year in prison respectively inthe same case. Both of them are out on bail.
In July 2017, Sharif was disqualified from office by the Supreme Court overthe whistleblower Panama Papers scandal, which also led to the filing ofthree corruption cases. Not long after, the top court also barred him fromholding his party’s leadership.
Sharif served as the premier from 1990 to 1992, 1997 to 1999, and 2013 to2017, but could not complete even a single five-year term. His two previousgovernments were dismissed over corruption charges and through bloodlessmilitary coups in 1992 and 1999, respectively. – Anadolu Agency
