News Desk |
The incarcerated ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif continues to have an air conditioner, a heater, a television, table & chair and exercise equipment in the Kot Lakhpat jail of Lahore.
The high-profile prisoner, who is serving out a seven-year term after being convicted by an accountability court in a National Accountability Bureau (NAB)’s Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference, also has the facility to meet his doctor.
Apart from the facilities, the former premier has been allotted a meeting day – Thursday – to meet his family, party leaders and others.
The details of the facilities emerged after the Punjab government responded to a letter of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif seeking details of the facilities provided to his brother – the PML-N Quaid – in jail, especially after Prime Minister Imran Khan announced that all such facilities would be withdrawn.
Apart from the facilities, the former premier has been allotted a meeting day – Thursday – to meet his family, party leaders and others. In the letter to the Punjab Chief Secretary Punjab, the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif had sought details of the facilities being provided to the three-time ex-PM. The letter was subsequently forwarded to the Home Minister.
Read more: Nawaz Sharif barred from holding political meetings in jail
In its response, Geo News while quoting sources reported that the provincial government has revealed that Sharif continues to have the facility of an air conditioner on the recommendation of the medical board. The reply said that Sharif also has a heater, a television, table & chair, and other exercise equipment.
PM Khan says no more AC, TV for Sharif in jail
On July 25, The Express Tribune had speculated that the incarcerated ex-PM would have to serve the remaining period of his sentence without an air conditioner as Punjab government had directed the Inspector General of Prison to remove AC from Sharif’s prison cell.
The incarcerated ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif continues to have an air conditioner, a heater, a television, table & chair and exercise equipment in the Kot Lakhpat jail.
The move was connected with PM Khan’s address to the Pakistani community in the US where he announced to withdraw the facilities of AC and LCDs from jailed politicians including Sharif as well as the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, who is in Adiala jail in Rawalpindi.
Read more: Nawaz Sharif wants to go back to Jail: Maryam Safdar
No more AC & TV for Zardari and Sharif in Jail – Imran Khan pic.twitter.com/SJ8QXzCWUs
— Siasat.pk (@siasatpk) July 22, 2019
On July 17, the paper had reported, the Punjab Home Department has sent a letter to the IG prison saying: “the following directions of Prime Minister have been intimated for implementation and report ‘No preferential treatment be given to the criminals and money launders in the prison in Punjab’.”
The letter asks IG prison to take necessary action in the matter immediately and send a report in three days. Interestingly, the paper stated, the letter titled “Prime Minister’s visit to Lahore on 19.6.19” carried many typos such as “Prime Minister Punjab” and “Services and General Administration Department Lahore”.
The reply said that Sharif also has a heater, a television, table & chair, and other exercise equipment.
While referring to another letter sent on July 12, the paper had said, it was mentioned that information regarding the implementation of four directives of the prime minister were still awaited.
The letter carried PM Khan’s directions for Punjab government not to provide any preferential treatment to criminal and money launders in prison of Punjab, while simultaneously directing to take action against child pornographers, child molesters and fake encounters by police.
Read more: Nawaz Sharif to clean his own jail cell
However, the paper claimed, the letters showed that long before the announcement, the PM had already instructed authorities to withdraw these facilities. PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz had said that the move would be equivalent to putting Sharif’s life in danger.
PM Khan’s address in Washington: ‘give back the money’
On July 21, while addressing a rally at the Capital One Arena in Washington DC, PM Khan had said that the opposition will have to return the money they stole from the country no matter what happens.
The letter carried PM Khan’s directions for Punjab government not to provide any preferential treatment to criminal and money launders in prison of Punjab.
The premier as quoted by SAMAA had said that Nawaz Sharif asks for food, an air conditioner and TV facilities in jail, adding that about 80% of Pakistan doesn’t have an AC and 70% doesn’t have a TV. PM Khan quipped that half the public would gladly go to jail if they got these facilities.
Read more: Nawaz Sharif gets 7-year jail term in Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference
If you get everything in jail then where’s the punishment, he had asked. “When I go back to Pakistan, I am ending these facilities,” he promised. Maryam Bibi will make a lot of noise but there’s a simple way to get out of jail, he said: “give back the money.”
He said the former president Asif Ali Zardari goes to jail and then straight to the hospital. “Now we’ll keep Zardari in jail but without the air conditioner or TV,” the TV channel’s website quoted him as saying. It’s very easy to get out of jail, give the money back, he reiterated.