Corruption cases against Nawaz Sharif reopened
Saturday, 8 September 2007
ISLAMABAD, (Pakistan), Sept 7 (Agencies): The government has reopened corruption cases against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and a court Friday ordered the arrest of his brother in a murder case, three days before their expected return to Pakistan to challenge its military leader, lawyers said Sharif's party denounced the cases as politically motivated and claimed police had detained 1,300 of its workers to stop them from welcoming the brothers home, ratcheting up political tension in the country.Nawaz Sharif was toppled by President Gen. Pervez Musharraf in a 1999 coup and then sent into exile in Saudi Arabia. He has said he will come back on Monday to counter Musharraf's re-election bid and run for parliament, despite the threat of arrest. An anti-terrorism court in the eastern city of Lahore on Friday ordered the arrest of Shahbaz Sharif, said Aftab Ahmed Bajwa, a lawyer for the plaintiff. Shahbaz is charged with ordering police to kill five men who were gunned down in Lahore in 1998. At the time of the killings, Shahbaz was the chief minister, or top executive, of Punjab province. Nawaz was Pakistan's prime minister.
On Wednesday, the father of one of the victims asked the court to arrest Shahbaz after hearing that he was due to return to Pakistan, Bajwa said. Shahbaz has denied the allegations.
Meanwhile, an anti-corruption court in Rawalpindi held a hearing in a case involving allegations that the Sharif family defaulted on a bank loan and owned property beyond their known sources of income, said Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, a prosecutor for the state National Accountability Bureau.
The cases date back to 2001 and 2002. Hearings had been adjourned for years, but were reopened late last month following an application by the government.
Meanwhile: The US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Richard Boucher has arrived in Islamabad to take part in the Pakistan-US strategic dialogue, TV channels reported Friday.
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and US President George W. Bush decided in March 2006 to launch a strategic dialogue under the Pakistan-US Strategic Partnership.
The Strategic Dialogue will be held on Sept. 13-14 at the level of the foreign secretary on the Pakistan side and the US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte on the US side.
John Negroponte is scheduled to arrive in Islamabad on Sept. 12, according to TV channels.
The dialogue will provide for consultations on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest, officials said.
On Wednesday, the father of one of the victims asked the court to arrest Shahbaz after hearing that he was due to return to Pakistan, Bajwa said. Shahbaz has denied the allegations.
Meanwhile, an anti-corruption court in Rawalpindi held a hearing in a case involving allegations that the Sharif family defaulted on a bank loan and owned property beyond their known sources of income, said Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, a prosecutor for the state National Accountability Bureau.
The cases date back to 2001 and 2002. Hearings had been adjourned for years, but were reopened late last month following an application by the government.
Meanwhile: The US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Richard Boucher has arrived in Islamabad to take part in the Pakistan-US strategic dialogue, TV channels reported Friday.
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and US President George W. Bush decided in March 2006 to launch a strategic dialogue under the Pakistan-US Strategic Partnership.
The Strategic Dialogue will be held on Sept. 13-14 at the level of the foreign secretary on the Pakistan side and the US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte on the US side.
John Negroponte is scheduled to arrive in Islamabad on Sept. 12, according to TV channels.
The dialogue will provide for consultations on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest, officials said.