ISLAMABAD: Nawaz Sharif, three-time former prime minister of Pakistan, on Sunday asked about compensation for fabricated cases against him and his family, which had led to his ouster from office five years ago. 

Sharif was removed from office in July 2017 by the Supreme Court for not being “honest” and “truthful” under Article 62(1)(f), after he failed to disclose unwithdrawn receivables in his wealth statement. 

On Sunday, Sharif held a candid talk with journalists in London, where he was flanked by his daughter, Maryam Nawaz, who was recently acquitted in the Avenfield reference that relates to the purchase of a number of upscale properties in London. 

The Sharifs were accused of embezzling public funds to offshore accounts that were used to purchase four high-valued properties on Park Lane in central London. The graft case also implicated Sharif’s sons, Hassan and Hussain. The Sharifs say the case was politically motivated. 

"Maryam returned from Pakistan with her head held high today and after winning her case and has proven that this was a fabricated case and a fake punishment," Sharif told reporters in London. 

"If the punishment was fake, the case was fabricated, then why [we] had to attend these 200-250 hearings, why [we] had to go to prisons, then why these precious five years of life were wasted. Someone should also account for it." 

Pakistan's Chief Justice Umer Ata Bandial this week said the article pertaining to the disqualification of members of parliament was a "draconian" law. The chief justice also called into question a legal provision that was used in the past to end careers of sitting heads of government and top politicians. 

Speaking of his disqualification, Sharif said the judge "didn't announce the punishment, he was made to announce it." 

"Who doesn't know that all these were fabricated and fake cases," he asked. "Today it's being said that this is a draconian decision. Then its compensation?" 

He said the decision of the country's anti-corruption watchdog to arrest his daughter when she had come to see him in prison was aimed at "torturing" him. 

"I have never seen such acts in Pakistan's history before. I listened to the news of my wife's death in jail and she (Nawaz) also heard in prison," the former premier said. 

"These are the incidents that are not forgotten for life. It is a loss which will never be repaired, forgotten." 

The former premier recounted that the US dollar had been trading at Rs103 while he was the prime minister, commodity prices had been under control and within the purchasing power of the masses, with no power shortfall in the country. 

Sharif said he was disqualified for not receiving salary from his son. "This is victimization and while victimizing me you have devastated the country," he added.