[Mr. Sharif was ousted from power last year by the Supreme Court as it investigated revelations that came out of the so-called Panama Papers, leaked documents from a Panamanian law firm. The documents indicated that Mr. Sharif’s family owned expensive properties in London, but the prime minister was unable to explain how he was able to afford them.]
By
Salman Masood
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Supporters of former
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif protesting in Islamabad, Pakistan,
on Monday. His party
described the court’s ruling against him as “a dark
decision.”Credit B.K.
Bangash/Associated Press
|
ISLAMABAD,
Pakistan — A court in
Islamabad on Monday sentenced the former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif
to seven years in prison on corruption-related charges, just months after he
was released on bail in another graft case and a year after he was ousted from
power.
Mr. Sharif, a once towering figure in
Pakistan’s politics who served as prime minister three times, was led out of
the courtroom, once again a prisoner.
He has been accused of money laundering, tax
evasion and receiving kickbacks, but his latest trial centered on allegations
that he possessed foreign assets greater than his known source of income — a
government salary.
Mr. Sharif was out of prison on bail to stand
trial in two cases. He was acquitted in the second case by the same court.
Mr. Sharif was ousted from power last year by
the Supreme Court as it investigated revelations that came out of the so-called
Panama Papers, leaked documents from a Panamanian law firm. The documents
indicated that Mr. Sharif’s family owned expensive properties in London, but
the prime minister was unable to explain how he was able to afford them.
The Supreme Court then ordered the nation’s
anti-corruption watchdog to file three cases against Mr. Sharif.
He has denied any wrongdoing and claimed the
foreign assets at issue were owned by his two sons. His sons, who both live in
London, were declared absconders by the court.
In addition to prison time, Mr. Sharif was
fined $25 million.
The former prime minister has maintained that
the cases were politically motivated and pushed by the country’s influential
military, with whom he often clashed.
His second term as prime minister was cut
short by a military coup in 1999.
The military has denied meddling in the
country’s politics, including this year’s general elections, in which Mr.
Sharif’s party was defeated. Imran Khan, who was named prime minister after his
party secured victory in July, ran and won on a promise to stamp out corruption.
“My conscience is clear,” Mr. Sharif told his
supporters on Monday before leaving for court to hear the verdict. “I haven’t
done anything which can put me to shame.”
Members of Mr. Sharif’s political party,
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, gathered outside the court in Islamabad, the
capital, to express support for their beleaguered leader. Hundreds of police
officers were deployed in the capital to ensure security.
In a statement, Mr. Sharif’s party called the
verdict “a dark decision” and vowed to protest.
His lawyers said they would appeal Monday’s
conviction in a higher court. The lower court approved a request to imprison
the former prime minister in Lahore, his hometown, instead of in Rawalpindi.
