Punjab govt suspends sentence of Nawaz in Al-Azizia case

LAHORE: The Punjab government has suspended the sentence of former prime minister and supreme leader of the PML-N Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia reference case. 

Meanwhile, Sharif appears before the Islamabad High Court to surrender in the same case and the Avenfield reference case today. 

An official in the Punjab government said that the caretaker provincial regime suspended the sentence of the former prime minister in Al-Azizia case under Section 401 of the Criminal Procedure Code. 

Punjab Information Minister Aamir Mir confirmed the suspension of the sentence and said the decision was taken on the request of Mr Sharif.

He said Sharif had gone abroad for treatment when the then PTI government used the same law to suspend the sentence and allow him to proceed for medical treatment abroad in 2019.

Sharif was sentenced to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia case and disqualified from holding public office. In the Avenfield reference, he was also sentenced to imprisonment and disqualified from holding public office for 10 years. 

He had filed appeals against the verdicts in Islamabad High Court but the appeals were dismissed after the PML-N leader failed to appear in the court. 

Now he has again filed petitions seeking revival of the appeals. The IHC granted him bail till October 24 (toda) when he is surrendering to the court.