Cot, chair, lantern: Nawaz Sharif, daughter Maryam get ‘B’ grade cells in Rawalpindi jail in Pakistan | World News - Hindustan Times
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Cot, chair, lantern: Nawaz Sharif, daughter Maryam get ‘B’ grade cells in Rawalpindi jail in Pakistan

Islamabad | By
Jul 14, 2018 11:38 PM IST

As per the rules in Pakistan, class ‘B’ consists of prisoners who by social status, education or habit of life have been accustomed to a superior style of living. Their rooms are equipped with a cot, chair, and washing and cooking appliances.

Pakistan’s former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam were provided “B” class facilities at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi where they spent the night after being arrested at Lahore airport following conviction in the Avenfield corruption case, media reports said on Saturday.

A supporter of ousted former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif holds his picture at the venue where his younger brother Shahbaz Srarif led a rally towards the airport ahead of Nawaz’s arrival from London, in Lahore on July 13, 2018.(AFP)
A supporter of ousted former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif holds his picture at the venue where his younger brother Shahbaz Srarif led a rally towards the airport ahead of Nawaz’s arrival from London, in Lahore on July 13, 2018.(AFP)

Sharif (68) and Maryam (44) were flown to Islamabad on a special aircraft and were taken to the Adiala Jail in separate armoured personnel carriers escorted by police convoys.

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As per the rules, class ‘B’ consists of prisoners who by social status, education or habit of life have been accustomed to a superior mode of living, the News reported.

The room of class A and B prisoners are usually equipped with a cot, chair, teapot, a lantern if there is no electric light, a shelf, and washing and sanitary appliances.

Expenses of other facilities such as TV, air-conditioner, fridge and newspapers are usually borne by the prisoners with the permission of jail department, the report said.

Typically, A or B class prisoners are educated and give lessons to uneducated prisoners perhaps in Class C. They do not do hard labour and can be engaged in useful work which is defined as rigorous punishment in their case.

50 injured In clashes

The father-daughter duo’s arrival from London and arrest triggered massive rallies, which when stopped, led to clashes between PML-N workers and police in Pakistan’s Punjab province and resulted in injuries to at least 50 people, including 20 policemen.

The major clashes took place at night between the PML-N workers, police and rangers at the Joray Pul, some five km away from Lahore airport, where the PML-N rally was stopped. The protesters pelted police and rangers with stones when they fired tear gas on them.

In two other clashes in Lahore at Ravi bridge and Bhutta Chowk Lahore, seven policemen and 10 PML-N workers suffered injuries.

PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Auranzeb condemned the use of force to stop party workers and demanded immediate release of its workers after the court directive.

The Lahore high court ordered the release of over 370 PML-N workers who were detained ahead of the rally.

Trial to continue in jail

According to a report by The News, the Islamabad administration has declared a rest house at the Sihala Police Training College in the capital as a sub-jail to keep the duo, with immediate effect and until further orders.

However, Geo News, quoting sources, reported that authorities have decided to keep them at the Adiala Jail for now.

A team of doctors, in the presence of Islamabad magistrate and senior police officials at Adiala jail, conducted the medical examination of Sharif and Maryam and declared them fit.

Meanwhile, the ministry of law and justice said the accountability court would conduct trial of remaining two corruption cases, which include Flagship Investments and Al Azizia Steel Mills, against Sharif and others at the Adiala jail.

Accountability Court-Islamabad judge Muhammad Bashir, who last night issued warrants for the imprisonment of the three-time premier and his political heir, will conduct the trial against the Sharifs in the jail, the report said.

Nawaz faces a decade in jail while his daughter was sentenced to seven years for aiding him in covering up the corruption conspiracy.

Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court last year in the Panama Papers case.

Sharif has been one of the country’s leading politicians for most of the past 30 years. He remains popular, especially in Punjab, the most populous and electorally significant province.

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