Pakistan issues arrest warrant against Nawaz Sharif in land related corruption case

Pakistan issues arrest warrant against Nawaz Sharif in land related corruption case

Lahore: Pakistan's anti-graft body has issued an arrest warrant against embattled former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in a 34-year-old land related corruption case. 

The 70-year-old supremo of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, is currently in London for medical treatment.
 
According to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials, Sharif illegally leased the land to Jang Group editor-in-chief Mir Shakilur Rehman in 1986, when the three-time premier was the chief minister of Punjab province.
 
"The NAB has issued arrest warrants of PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif in the land case in Lahore involving Jang/Geo group editor-in-chief Mir Shakilur Rehman. Sharif was served notices and questionnaires in this case but no response came from him who is in London for his medical treatment, a NAB official told PTI on Sunday evening. 

This is the fifth corruption case registered against the three-time premier since his ouster from the office of the prime minister by the Supreme Court in July 2017 in the Panama Papers case. 
The SC had then ordered registration of three corruption cases -- Avenfiled, Al-Azizia and Flagship against him and his family members.
 
The official said the NAB would move the accountability court to declare Sharif a proclaimed offender over non-cooperation in the investigation.
 
On March 27, the NAB sent a questionnaire to Sharif and summoned him to the bureau office on March 31 to record his statement. Again on March 15, the NAB's Lahore office summoned Sharif to appear before the bureau on March 20, but no response came from him, the Dawn newspaper reported.
 
"Once Sharif is declared a proclaimed offender then we will pursue the process of his repatriation," he said. 

"The decision to issue Sharif's arrest warrants has been taken on his non-cooperation with NAB in the 54-kanal (6.75 acres) land in Lahore he had awarded illegally to Rehman in 1986 when he was chief minister of Punjab," the official said. 

Sharif on November last had left for London after the Lahore High Court granted him a four-week permission allowing him to go abroad for his treatment. 

He had given an undertaking to the Lahore High Court to return to Pakistan citing his record to face the process of law and justice within four weeks or as soon as he is declared healthy and fit to travel by doctors.
 
Sharif was also given bail in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case in which he was serving seven-year imprisonment in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail. 

Sharif, who was diagnosed with an immune system disorder, has been advised by a government panel of doctors to go abroad for treatment. 

According to Dr Adnan Khan, a personal physician of Sharif, the former premier has been diagnosed with complicated coronary artery / ischemic heart disease with significant disease burden. Cardiac perfusion scans scheduled.
 
In a latest tweet Dr Khan said: As high risk patient, Former PM #NawazSharif's Cardiac Catheterization/Coronary Intervention was postponed to be rescheduled at a later date amidst COVID19 Pandemic, as Public/Private Hospitals limited their admissions/procedures. Presently managed on aggressive medical therapy. 

Jang Group, also known as Geo Group, is a subsidiary of Dubai-based company Independent Media Corporation.
 
On March 12, the NAB arrested Rehman in the case. He is in the bureau's custody on a physical remand till April 28.
 
Rehman, the editor-in-chief of Jang/Geo media group, was arrested on charges that he illegally acquired the land on a prime location in Lahore at a throwaway price in 1986 during the tenure of then-chief minister of Punjab Sharif. 

The NAB said under the Lahore Development Authority's (LDA) exemption policy, not more than 15 plots measuring one kanal (0.125 acres) each could be exempted to Rehman by the then chief minister Sharif.
 
Besides, the land of common passage could not be sold to any person. Rehman made a sale deed (of 54 plots) in favour of his wife and children being the general power of attorney holder of Hidayat Ali.
 
The NBA said Sharif as chief minister of Punjab had misused his authority and illegally allotted precious land to Rehman. 

Earlier, the Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) had also opened a case against Sharif pertaining to alleged illegal allotment of land belonging to Baba Farid shrine in Pakpattan district of Punjab province.
 
The investigation in this case is underway. 

Following his ouster from the office of premier in July 2017, an accountability court in July 2018 sentenced Sharif to 10 years imprisonment in the Avenfield case. The sentence extended to his daughter Maryam Nawaz, and son-in-Law retired Captain Safdar, who were given 7 years and 1 year imprisonment respectively. Later they were released on bail. 

Subsequently, Sharif was handed down a seven-year rigorous imprisonment in Al-Azizia reference. However, he was acquitted in the flagship corruption case.  
 

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