LAHORE – Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif, who were sentenced to imprisonment for different periods in the Avenfield case, will have to move an application to avail ‘Better Class’ facility in the jail.
The father-daughter duo is expected to arrive in Lahore from where they will be arrested and shifted to Islamabad for producing them before the accountability court.
The facility in jail will not be provided them automatically as they are needed to submit an application. Officials at the home department said that Nawaz Sharif will be provided ‘Better Class’ facility by the virtue of being a former lawmaker.
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They added that Maryam will have to prove that she has paid at least Rs600,000 as annual income tax to avail the facility, as she is neither a former nor serving gazetted military or civil officer, like her husband, Captain (retd) Safdar or lawmaker, Dawn News reported.
Captain (retd) Safdar, who was also awarded one year jail in the case pertaining to Sharifs’ flats in London, was given Better Class category for being a former parliamentarian and ex-gazetted army officer. The officials confirmed that he was provided with the facility after he submitted an application requesting it.
The colonial-era categories of A, B or C class jails in Punjab have been changed to Better Class and Ordinary Class through an amendment to the Punjab Jails Rules following an order passed by the Lahore High Court (LHC) some years ago.
In the Better Class jails, the prisoners are provided with books and newspapers, a 21-inch television, a table and a chair, a mattress, personal bedding and clothing and food. The expenses for the facilities will be paid by the prisoners. An air conditioner and a refrigerator are not included in this facility.
Following the arrest of the PML-N leaders at the Lahore airport, the convicts, according to the legal procedure, will be produced before the accountability judge who had awarded them sentences. The judge will give the NAB a warrant of contract, which would carry details of punishments and directions to the jail superintendent to take them into custody.
The father and daughter are likely to be detained at Adiala jail as it has beefed up security ward.
