PAKISTAN’S former prime minister Nawaz Sharif failed to appear before a tribunal yesterday, where he was to be indicted on corruption charges along with several family members and co-defendants.
Meanwhile, authorities arrested Sharif’s son-in-law, also a co-defendant. The son-in-law, Mohammad Safdar, was taken into custody at Islamabad airport after he and his wife, Maryam Nawaz, arrived from London, said cabinet minister Talal Chaudhry.
Amid tight security, police later took Safdar to the anti-corruption tribunal, called Accountability Court, where he appeared alongside his wife.
The corruption charges against Sharif, his two sons, daughter and son-in-law stem from an investigation into documents leaked from a Panama law firm which showed that the Sharifs had undisclosed assets abroad.
Chaudhry said Safdar and his wife had returned to Pakistan “to appear before the court as they believe in the rule of law”.
Sharif is currently in London with his wife, Kulsoom Nawaz, who is said to be recovering from throat cancer surgery.
The Supreme Court disqualified Sharif from office in July, forcing him to step down over corruption allegations and undisclosed assets.
Sharif has denied wrongdoing. He and some of his party leaders have claimed there are “hidden hands” behind his dismissal and spate of corruption cases.
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