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Court suspends sentences against former Pakistani PM

ISLAMABAD, Sep 19 (KUNA) -- The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday suspended the sentences handed to former prime minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Mohammad Safdar in a corruption case.
Earlier on July 6 decision, National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) court sentenced Nawaz to 10 years rigorous imprisonment, his daughter to seven years imprisonment and Safdar to one-year behind bars.
The accused were also disqualified to contest elections or to hold public office for a period of 10 years after release. While hearing the appeals against the sentences awarded to the former premier; a division bench of IHC comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb suspended the decision.
The order allows the release of Sharif family members from Rawalpindi Central Jail after completion of formalities where they have been incarcerated since July 13.
NAB special prosecutor Mohammad Akram Qureshi concluded his final arguments on Wednesday, following which the high court reserved the verdict in the case.
"The instant writ petition is also allowed and sentence awarded to the petitioners by the accountability court shall remain suspended till the final adjudication of the appeal filed by the petitioner," reads the judgment.
"The petitioner shall be released on bail subject to furnishing bail bonds in the sum of Rs500,000 with one surety in the amount to the satisfaction of deputy registrar of the high court," it added. (end) sbk