In Pakistan, the Islamabad High Court today suspended the sentences handed to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Mohammad Safdar in the Avenfield corruption case.
A two-judge bench of the Islamabad High Court heard the petitions filed challenging their conviction related to the purchase of luxury flats in London.
The bench ordered the release of the former premier, his daughter and son-in-law. They were also directed to submit bail bonds worth 0.5 million rupees each.
The court was hearing the appeals by the Sharifs and Capt (retired) Safdar against the verdict announced by the accountability court on the 6th of July and have accepted their petitions, suspending their sentences in the meantime.
The bench ruled that the sentences would remain suspended until the final judgement on their appeals.
A date will now be fixed for the hearing of the appeals.
Following the suspension, they will be released from jail after completion of formalities today.
Nawaz Sharif was sentenced to 11 years, Maryam to eight years and Safdar to one year in prison in the Avenfield properties case.
