The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has released an alleged video clip of accountability court judge in the Al Azizia reference. The video clip purportedly showing the accountability court judge was released on Saturday. In the video, the 'accountability judge' allegedly admitting to a lack of evidence against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference.
PML-N Vice-President and Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz showed the alleged video and read out its transcript on Saturday at a press conference lasting more than an hour. PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, and other senior party leaders accompanied Maryam Nawaz at the press conference.
The alleged video released by the opposition party on Saturday purportedly shows the accountability court judge speaking to a PML-N worker (Nasir Butt) and claiming that he was 'coerced' to hand down sentence against Nawaz Sharif despite there being no proof of corruption against the deposed premier.
Maryam said the video also shows the judge admitting that no evidence of embezzlement of funds in Pakistan or in Saudi Arabia was found against Hussain Nawaz Sharif.
She said the judge had contacted the PML-N worker (Nasir Butt) and allegedly told him that he was feeling guilty and was having nightmares ever since he announced the verdict that led to Nawaz Sharif's imprisonment.
The judge was "blackmailed" into handing down the sentence against Nawaz Sharif after some people threatened that they would release a private video of his, she alleged. Maryam claimed the judge was under immense pressure to convict and send Nawaz Sharif to jail, and that he had contemplated committing suicide several times since.
Speaking at the press conference, Maryam termed the alleged video "divine intervention" which had arrived to help her father at a time when he had given up hopes of getting justice from the courts.
She said the one who handed down the sentence had now himself admitted that Nawaz Sharif was wronged. She claimed the video vindicated her father and was evidence of his innocence.-NNI
BR staff reporter adds: It may be noted that in December an accountability court sentenced former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to seven-year rigorous imprisonment after it found him guilty in 'Al-Azizia reference', one of the three graft cases filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in line with the apex court'S order.
"I had promised to the people that I will not let Nawaz become another Morsi [former Egyoptian President]," she said. "My life is also in danger," she added. After screening the video clip and a short address, Maryam and other PML-N leaders including Shahbaz Sharif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi did not take any query of media. However, Maryam announced that she is going to Mandi Bahauddin on Sunday (today). In a tweet, Maryam said the fake government was afraid of her, but it faces real threat from "the power of people" supporting [former premier] Nawaz Sharif.