Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan ex-PM, sent back to jail for corruption

Dawn
An accountability court on Monday handed ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif seven years in jail and a fine of $2.5 million in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference, and acquitted him in the Flagship Investments reference.
According to local media reports, the PML-N quaid was taken into custody in court and will be transported to Adiala Jail shortly. Armoured vehicles are standing by outside the court premises to transport the former prime minister to Adiala Jail.
The verdict was announced almost immediately after Nawaz arrived in the courtroom. He will have the option to challenge the verdict against him.
Accountability Judge Arshad Malik while reading out the short order said that there was no case against Nawaz in the Flagship reference.
Soon after Nawaz reached the Federal Judicial Complex in Islamabad, PML-N supporters gathered outside the premises began stone pelting police and trying to force their way into the court complex, DawnNewsTV reported. Police retaliated with tear gas shelling and baton-charging the supporters.
The judgement was expected to be announced between 9am to 10am. However, there was a delay for unspecified reasons and sources within the court said the judgement would be announced after 2pm.
It may be mentioned that the verdict in the Avenfield corruption reference earlier this year — which handed down sentences to Nawaz, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Captain Safdar — was delayed multiple times before eventually being announced a little after 4:30pm.
Accountability Judge Mohammad Arshad Malik on Dec 19 had reserved judgement in both the references filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against the former premier.
PML-N workers started gathering outside the court to show their support for the party’s supreme leader as early as 7:30am.
Entry to the accountability court has been restricted to only those having permission of the registrar.
PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal, spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb and veteran politician Javed Hashmi arrived at court today and were permitted to enter the premises. Other leaders, including former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, were not allowed to enter.
Nawaz, who arrived in Islamabad from Lahore on Sunday, visited a farmhouse this morning before leaving for court where he offered sadqa and held a meeting with senior party leaders, DawnNewsTV reported, citing sources.
He met lawyer Khawaja Haris, Hamza Shahbaz, Pervaiz Rasheed, former Sindh governor Muhammad Zubair, Tallal Chaudhry, and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry at the farmhouse, the sources said.
Security has been beefed up around the judicial complex, with heavy contingents of police and Rangers deployed around the building and along roads leading to the court.
Although Section 144 has been imposed in the capital, the Islamabad and Rawalpindi administrations have decided that there will be no blockade at the entry points of the capital, and security officials will only ensure strict checking.