ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former Prime Minister and head of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) party (PML-N), Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz, and son-in-law Safdar Awan — all currently imprisoned on corruption charges, reportedly spent a low-key Eid Al-Adha in jail without any celebratory activities. Local media reports, citing unnamed sources, claimed Sharif offered his Edi prayers in the high-security barracks of the Rawalpindi jail.
According to a security official who spoke to Arab News, it is unlikely that the Sharifs would have been allowed to sacrifice an animal — a common practice during Eid celebrations — in the prison.
Sharif’s younger brother Shahbaz — now the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly — met with all three inmates on Wednesday, according to local media reports.And a number of PML-N members were allowed to visit the Sharifs on Friday. The former foreign minister, Khawaja Asif, arriving outside the Rawalpindi jail, told reporters, “I have come to meet Nawaz today as we weren’t allowed (in) over the last two days.”
PML-N spokesperson and former information minister Maryam Aurangzeb told Arab News that Sharif, “gave no statement and didn’t send any message” on the occasion of Eid. The PML-N leadership declined to answer further questions relating to the Sharifs.
This is the second time Sharif has spent Eid in jail, Mushahidullah Khan, information secretary for the PML-N, told Arab News. During his second tenure as prime minister, he was jailed after the October 1999 coup staged by General Pervez Musharraf and exiled to Saudi Arabia in December 2000.
Sharif has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined £8 million for the ownership of assets beyond his income, while his pollical heir-apparent Maryam Nawaz, was sentenced to 7 years for abetting and forgery, and fined £2 million. Awan was sentenced to one year in prison by an accountability court in July in the Avenfield property case — one of three references implicating the powerful political family in corruption.
Earlier this week, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) adjourned the Sharif family’s appeals to suspend their conviction. The hearing will resume in the second week of September. The three convicts had hoped for a swift judgment in their favor, and reportedly expected to celebrate Eid out of jail.
Legal expert Sharafat Ali, an assistant to Sharif’s defense team, believes the case will be passed up to the Supreme Court. He explained: “Appeals and petitions for suspension of sentence and grant of bail are two different cases for each convict.”
He said he was “flabbergasted” when the court decided to join the “bails (hearings) with appeals” when “at length, exhaustive arguments from both (defense and prosecution) have been heard (by the court) for over two weeks.”
Ali told Arab News, “These petitions should have been decided, regardless of whether they were accepted or rejected” by the court. “Since Awan was convicted for one year, he could have been granted bail immediately.”
The country’s ex-president, Asif Ali Zaradari, who is also embroiled in corruption and money-laundering cases, was granted protective bail immediately by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) last week against the non-bailable arrest orders issued by a banking court. This has once again raised questions of judicial impartiality and military interference.
However, political analyst Qamar Cheema said, “There is an impression that unelected institutions are manipulating Pakistan’s judiciary but that’s not true. The judiciary is independent, strong, assertive and capable of implementing its decisions.
“Any impression that Sharif and his daughter are facing discrimination from the judiciary is baseless,” he added.
Muted Eid celebrations in prison for Pakistan’s former premier and family
Muted Eid celebrations in prison for Pakistan’s former premier and family
- Nawaz Sharif offered Eid prayers in high-security facility
- PML-N members permitted to visit the Sharifs on Friday, after refusal on first two days of Eid Al-Adha
Spin-heavy Pakistan hit form, but India boycott risks early T20 exit
- Pakistan face must-win group matches, leaving no margin for error in T20 World Cup progression
- Recent series wins have restored confidence, but batting volatility remains Pakistan’s biggest risk
LAHORE: Pakistan’s spin-heavy squad are in winning form ahead of the T20 World Cup, but a controversial decision to forfeit their marquee clash against India could still trigger another early exit.
Pakistan came close to withdrawing from the tournament in solidarity with Bangladesh, who pulled out after refusing to play in India, citing security concerns.
The Pakistan government eventually cleared the team’s participation but it barred them from facing India in Colombo in a blockbuster clash on February 15.
With two points for a win, a forfeit of the match will leave Pakistan with no margin for error if they are to progress as one of the top two from a five-team Group A.
It means they must win their opening game against the Netherlands in Colombo on Saturday and beat the United States three days later to stay in contention.
Their final group game will be against Namibia on February 18.
Captain Salman Agha said the move to boycott the India game was out of the team’s hands.
“That is not our decision. We have to follow what our government decides,” he said.
The Pakistan government has not said what their stance might be if the team were to end up facing India again in the semifinals or final. Agha was not thinking about that.
“Our job is to win, and we are capable of doing that,” he said.
Pakistan will be keen to avoid a repeat of the last T20 World Cup in 2024, where a shock super over defeat to co-hosts the United States led to them failing to get out of the group.
The side has since faced criticism for failing to adapt to the modern demands of T20 cricket, with the batting, particularly Babar Azam’s low strike rate, under scrutiny.
The criticism was fueled by Pakistan’s record last year, where 21 of their 34 T20 international wins came against lower-ranked opponents.
CONFIDENCE RESTORED
Against elite teams, the results were sobering: three losses to India in the Asia Cup and a 4-1 series defeat to New Zealand.
However, Agha believes recent performances have restored confidence.
Pakistan beat South Africa 2-1, won a home tri-series, and then completed a 3-0 sweep of an under-strength Australia.
“We’ve had good preparation by beating Australia. We have the luxury of quality spinning all-rounders like Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub.
“We’re ticking most boxes and believe we can win the World Cup,” Agha said.
The spin department has been strengthened by Abrar Ahmed and Usman Tariq, the latter known for his unusual, slingy action and exaggerated pause at the crease.
The pace attack is led by the experienced Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah.
Faheem Ashraf provides seam-bowling all-round support and newcomer Salman Mirza has been impressive.
Batting remains Pakistan’s most volatile component.
When openers Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan provide strong starts, the side can post competitive totals, but collapses remain a constant threat.
Head coach Mike Hesson has added another layer of risk by leaving out experienced wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan because of poor form, opting instead for makeshift options in Usman Khan, Khawaja Nafay and Farhan.
For Pakistan, the ingredients for a deep run are present, but with points potentially forfeited, there is little room left for error.
