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Nawaz Sharief gets life imprisonment

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief has been sentenced to life imprisonment in the case of attempted murder and hijacking of the plane carrying the present chief executive of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf.

However, the court released Shahbaz, Sharief's brother and former Chief Minister of Punjab, and five other accused in the case.

Under the Pakistani law, the life sentence is for twenty-five years.

Besides Shahbaz Sharief, the others who were acquitted are Ghous Ali Shah, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Saeed Mehdi, Rana Maqbool and Saifur Rehman.

Judge Rehmat Hussain Jaffery found ousted Prime Minister guilty of hijacking and terrorism and sentenced him to life imprisonment on both counts. Sharief was, however, found not guilty of attempt to murder and kidnapping.

The court has also ordered the forfeiture of Nawaz Sharief's entire property. He has also been fined Rs 500,000.

Earlier in the morning, many Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leaders, including former senior ministers, were arrested outside the Anti Terrorist Court where the verdict was to be announced. They were expressing their solidarity for the ousted Prime Minister.

The prosecution had charged Sharief with not allowing the PIA aircraft, in which Musharraf was flying to Karachi, to land when it was short of fuel on October 12, 1999.

Sharief can now appeal against the verdict within seven days.

Responding to the anti-terrorist court's verdict, defence lawyers said they were confident that this judgement against Sharief will be set aside when he goes into appeal at the appellate court.

Talking to newsmen after the verdict, the defence counsels said the fact that Nawaz was cleared of attempt to murder and kidnapping charges had made his case strong in the appellate court.

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