LAHORE (George Paul) – The countdown begins as the PML-N is all set to accord a 'historic' welcome to its leader Nawaz Sharif on Oct 21 in Lahore.
But the question that nags many minds is whether the three-time prime minister will have a smooth sailing once he touches down in Lahore after four-year long self-exile in London.
To find the answer, let's have a snapshot of the legal cases Sharif has to grapple with before spearheading the party's election campaign.
The former prime minister is wanted in Islamabad in three cases - Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference, Avenfield reference and Toshakhana.
In April 2016, the Panama Papers revealed that three of Nawaz Sharif’s children owned offshore companies and assets not shown on his family's wealth statement. The insinuation that the companies were meant to hide or launder ill-gotten wealth or to avoid taxes called the then prime minister’s credentials into question.
Following the leaks, the opposition led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) intensified its protests to mount pressure, seeking disqualification of Nawaz Sharif as the prime minister. The Supreme Court took up the Panama case against Sharif and formed a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the corruption allegations.
The apex court, on the basis of the JIT findings, disqualified Nawaz Sharif as Pakistan’s prime minister on July 28, 2017.
Subsequently, the supreme leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had to face the Al-Azizia Steel Mills, Avenfield and Flagship references brought against him by the accountability watchdog, National Accountability Bureau.
Panama case
The revealation in the Panama leaks that Nawaz Sharif's three children owned offshore companies and assets not shown on his family's wealth statement led to the clamour for an investigation into the corruption allegations and a subsequent demand by the PTI for the prime minister’s disqualification.
The apex court on the basis of the JIT report on July 28, 2017 de-seated Nawaz Sharif as the prime minister under the Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution. The court issued orders for the registration of a case against the former prime minister and the transfer of all the cases against the Sharif family to the NAB.
Supreme Court’s Justice Ijazul Ahsan was appointed the ‘monitoring judge’ for the proceedings of the NAB and accountability courts.
Toshakhana case
In June 2020, an accountability court in Islamabad issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Nawaz Sharif in connection with the purchase of gifted watches from the Toshakhana in an illegal manner.
For his non-appearance, Nawaz Sharif was declared a proclaimed offender by the accountability court on Sept 8, 2020.
Avenfield reference
An accountability court awarded 10-year imprisonment to Nawaz Sharif in the Avenfield reference on July 6, 2018. His daughter Maryam Nawaz got seven-year jail term and son-in-law retired Capt Safdar one-year jail term.
The accountability court’s decision was challenged in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) which suspended the sentence. The hearing for Nawaz Sharif’s appeal against his sentence was in progress when he went abroad for treatment and did not return to pursue that appeal afterwards.
Al-Azizia reference
An accountability court acquitted the ousted prime minister in the Flagship Investment reference on Dec 24, 2018, but sentenced him to seven years in prison in the Al-Azizia reference.
While Nawaz Sharif’s appeals against his sentences in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia references were still being heard in the Islamabad High Court, he had to proceed abroad for treatment. Nevertheless, the former premier could not return to pursue these appeals.
Consequent upon non-pursuance, the high court quashed his appeals seeking acquittal in the references.
Chaudhry Sugar Mills case, Plot Allotment case
The NAB has not submitted a reference against Nawaz Sharif in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case till the present day; nonetheless, it had only arrested him during an inquiry. Moreover, Nawaz Sharif and others accused in the plot allotment case were exonerated of charges by an accountability court in Lahore on June 24, 2023.
The court, in its detailed judgement, observed that the proceedings meant to declare Nawaz Sharif a proclaimed offender were not in line with the law. It further stated that the record of the case reflected that Nawaz Sharif had been politically victimised.
Nawaz Sharif’s London departure
A two-judge bench of the Islamabad High Court on Oct 31, 2019, suspended Nawaz Sharif’s two sentences on the medical grounds and allowed him to proceed abroad for treatment for a period of four weeks.
The court order also detailed that in the event of Nawaz Sharif’s health not showing signs of improvement, he might approach the Punjab government for an extension in his bail under the Article 104 of the criminal law.