The caretaker Punjab government has reportedly suspended the sentence offormer prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia reference. This actionwas taken by the government using its powers under Section 401 of theCriminal Procedure Code, which grants them the authority to suspend aconvict’s sentence.
It’s worth noting that this wasn’t the first time Nawaz Sharif’s sentencehad been suspended. Before he traveled to London in 2019 for medicaltreatment, his sentence had also been suspended.
Caretaker Punjab Information Minister Amir Mir explained that thegovernment suspended Nawaz Sharif’s sentence within the bounds of itsconstitutional authority. However, he made it clear during an interviewwith Samaa TV that the government could only suspend the sentence and notentirely remove it.
Back in December 2018, an accountability court had sentenced the formerprime minister to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Millscorruption case. He was, however, acquitted in the Flagship Investmentsreference.
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The court had also imposed a fine of Rs1.5 billion and $25 million on Nawazin the Al-Azizia case, in addition to a 10-year disqualification fromholding any public office, which was to take effect after he completed theseven-year jail term.