Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif, daughter Maryam Nawaz return to Pakistan, arrested

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Subhayan Chakraborty
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Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif, daughter Maryam Nawaz return to Pakistan, arrested

Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif, daughter Maryam Nawaz return to Pakistan, arrested (Photo: Twitter)

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz, who were sentenced to 10 years and seven years of jail respectively in the Avenfield properties case, were arrested on Friday soon after they landed at Lahore airport.

The ousted prime minister and her daughter were taken into the custody by National Acountability Bureau (NAB)  and were being shifted to Islamabad in a chartered plan.

The supporters of the father-daughter duo, who had arrived at the airport in a show of strength, clashed with police deployed outside to maintain the law and order situation.

Around 10,000 police personnel were deployed and tight security arrangement were in place.

Nawaz Sharif and daughter Maryam Nawaz returned from London via Abu Dhabi, a week later after a court gave them jail terms over the purchase of flats in London. 

"A team of NAB is present at the Lahore airport and arrest the convicted Nawaz and Maryam from there," a spokesman of NAB, Nawzish Asim, told PTI.

A helicopter is present at the airport to take them to Islamabad from there they will be sent to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi after producing them to the accountability court.

In a video message tweeted earlier by his daughter Maryam, the former Pakistan PM had said, "the country is at a critical juncture right now."

"I have done what I could. I am aware that I have been sentenced to 10 years (in prison) and I will be taken to a jail cell straight away. But I want the Pakistani nationals to know that I am doing this for you," he had said.

A group of PML-N supporters along with the former chief minister of Punjab, Shehbaz Sharif went to Lahore airport to welcome Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz but were not allowed inside due to tight security.

Both the PML-N leaders are returning to Pakistan to face a prison sentence handed out on July 6 by a court in the Avenfield properties case.

The situation holds significant as Pakistan is set to go for elections from July 25.

pakistan Nawaz Sharif Maryam Nawaz PML-N Nawaz Sharif Arrest