Court orders release of Nawaz Sharif on bail

Islamabad : A Pakistani court yesterday ordered the release of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter, suspending their prison sentences for corruption pending an appeal hearing, his lawyer said.

“Today, the Islamabad High Court has suspended the verdict against Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and his son-in-law Captain Safdar and ordered to release them on bail until a final decision,” lawyer Khawaja Haris said. They will be released after the payment of sureties of 500,000 rupees ($4,024), he said. It was not clear when the appeal will be heard.

The anti-graft watchdog has the right to go to the Supreme Court to contest Wednesday’s bail ruling. Dozens of jubilant supporters chanted “Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif!” outside the court after the decision was announced. The Supreme Court ousted Sharif from office last year for alleged corruption. An anti-corruption court in July this year sentenced them in absentia to 10 and seven years respectively over properties they allegedly owned in Britain, following revelations in the Panama Papers.

Sharif and his daughter were arrested on their return to the country that month to campaign in elections. Sharif claims he is being targeted by the country’s powerful security establishment. His Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party lost the election on July 25 to the rival Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf led by former cricket hero Imran Khan.