Nawaz Sharif, daughter unlikely to be shifted to guest house

Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam are unlikely to be shifted from Adiala jail to the Sihala Rest House due to the lack of proper security arrangements, media reports said on Saturday (21).

Sharif and Maryam were convicted by an accountability court in the Avenfield case, which relates to the ownership of luxury properties in London, and they were sent to Adiala jail shortly after they landed in Lahore on July 13.

According to an IANS report, the Islamabad Chief Commissioner had also ordered shifting the duo to the Sihala Rest House situated inside the Sihala Police Training College as it was equipped with better facilities than the Adiala jail.

The rest house has six air-conditioned rooms, proper beds and wash rooms, but no boundary wall.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that jail authorities were looking to shift some very dangerous prisoners from Adiala to some other location to ensure the former prime minister is not harmed. Inmates at Adiala jail include hardened and radical terrorists.

Reportedly, the former prime minister was jeered at by fellow prisoners while he was out in the courtyard taking a walk, worrying jail authorities.

On Saturday, lawyers for Sharif, Maryam and her husband Muhammad Safdar met the duo to discuss the appeal against their conviction.

Sharif and Maryam have been sentenced by the accountability court to 10 and seven years in prison, respectively, for corruption charges. Maryam's husband Muhammad Safdar was jailed for one year.

Counsel Amjad Pervaiz, a member of their legal team, told the media that Sharif was in good health, but the former premier was not happy with the facilities provided to them.

Pervaiz also spoke about Safdar and Maryam saying: "Safdar is a heart patient and his medical record is available. He doesn't want to opt for any other medical facility than the one in jail, nor does Maryam."