Pakistan denies any 'Deal' with Saudi Arabia for release of Ex-PM Nawaz Sharif & family from Jail

September 22, 2018:

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy close relations and whenever a leader wins an election in Pakistan, the first visit is always to Gulf nation.

There was no "deal" between Governments of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia for release of jailed Former PM Nawaz Sharif and his family members after High Court suspended their sentences in a Corruption case. stated a Senior Pakistani Minister.

The Islamabad High Court has suspended the jail sentences of Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar in the Avenfield corruption case and they were released from the Adiala Prison in Rawalpindi.

"No country asked for his release. Nawaz Sharif is not so important for Saudi Arabia that they will talk about him," Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry stated, rejecting the impression that the three-time former premier and his family members were released from jail under a "deal" between the Imran Khan-led government and Riyadh.

Islamabad High Court's verdict, ordering the release of the trio coincided with Prime Minister Khan's visit to Saudi Arabia, giving rise to the speculation that Sharif family members' release was a result of the Saudis' request.

But the Report recalled that Saudi Arabia was a guarantor in a deal between Sharif family and then military dictator Gen. Pervez Musharraf in 2000 under which the Sharifs were released from jail and allowed to leave the country.

Nawaz Sharif never came under discussion during PM Khan's visit to Saudi Arabia where he had meetings with the oil-rich kingdom's rulers, Chaudhry added.

Sharif, 68, resigned as Pakistan PM last year after Supreme Court disqualified him from holding public office and ruled that graft cases be filed against the beleaguered leader and his children over the Panama Papers scandal.

Avenfield case was among the three corruption cases filed against Ex-PM by National Accountability Bureau on Supreme Court's orders in Panama Papers case.