Pakistan’s Anti-Graft Body files corruption case against Ex-PM Nawaz Sharif

The Anti-Graft body of Pakistan has filed a corruption case against deposed PM Nawaz Sharif & 3 others for their alleged involvement in the illegal allotment of land in Punjab province about 34 years ago.

An arrest warrant has been issued against the 70-year-old 3-time premier who is in London for medical treatment.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has approached an anti-corruption court to declare Sharif a proclaimed offender since he didn't respond to any of its summons.

The 3 other accused named in the case filed by the NAB are Jang/Geo media group owner Mir Shakilur Rahman, Ex-Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director Humayun Faiz Rasool & Ex-Director (land) Mian Bashir.

In 1986, when he was the Punjab CM, Sharif had allegedly allotted 54-’kanal’ (canal) land in Lahore to Mir Shakilur Rehman in violation of rules.

Rahman, who was arrested on March 12, is on Judicial remand.

In the reference, Sharif & the 2 officers were accused of the misuse of authority in allotting the precious land along the canal to Rahman in violation of the rules.

The Ex-PM had left for London in Nov after the High Court of Lahore granted him 4-week permission to go abroad for treatment.

He had submitted an undertaking to the Court to return to Pakistan, citing his record of facing the law & justice, within four weeks or as soon as he is declared healthy & fit to travel by doctors.

Last month, a fresh picture of ‘ailing’ Sharif having tea at a London cafe along with his family went viral on social media, sparking a debate on his health with the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf members demanding his return to face corruption cases.

In the picture, he was seen sitting at a roadside café with his granddaughters. He sported a blue shalwar kameez & a cap & apparently looked in better health. Sharif was given bail in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case, in which he was serving a seven-year prison sentence in Kot Lakhpat Jail.

He was also given bail in a money-laundering case to facilitate his travel abroad.

Sharif was diagnosed with “complicated coronary artery/ischemic heart disease with significant disease burden”.

His daughter Maryam Nawaz had said that her father was a high-risk patient therefore his cardiac catheterisation/coronary intervention had been postponed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

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