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Nawaz Sharif: Pakistan court orders ex-PM's release | Nawaz Sharif: Pakistan court orders ex-PM's release |
(35 minutes later) | |
A Pakistani court has ordered the release of ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, two months after he began a 10-year jail sentence over corruption. | |
The court suspended the sentences of Mr Sharif and his daughter Maryam who were convicted in July, shortly before the country held general elections. | |
The decision came during their appeal. They have denied wrongdoing. | |
The ruling comes just a week after Mr Sharif's wife, Kulsoom Nawaz, died from cancer in London. | The ruling comes just a week after Mr Sharif's wife, Kulsoom Nawaz, died from cancer in London. |
They were briefly allowed out of prison to attend her funeral, but were later returned. They are expected to be released later on Wednesday on bail. | |
What was the case about? | |
Mr Sharif was charged with corrupt practices in July related to ownership of four luxury properties in central London linked to his family. | |
He says the charges are political motivated. | |
His daughter, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, received seven years for abetting a crime and one year for not co-operating - which were due to run concurrently - while son-in-law Safdar Awan was given a one-year sentence for not co-operating. | |
All three had their jail sentences suspended by Islamabad's high court on Wednesday, after their appeals hearing was heard. | |
The case against Nawaz Sharif has divided opinion in Pakistan, the BBC's Secunder Kermani says. | |
His supporters believe the real reason he was convicted was because he had fallen out with the country's powerful army, but his political rivals - including new PM Imran Khan - had hailed his conviction as a victory for accountability, he adds. |