‘Pak’s ex-Chief Justice had directed HC judge to not release Nawaz, Maryam before 2018 polls’

Gilgit [Gilgit-Baltistan], November 16 (ANI): Ahead of the 2018 general elections, former Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar had directed a high court judge to not release former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz on bail at any cost before the polls, ex-top judge of Gilgit Baltistan, who became a witness of this incident, stated in a notarized affidavit.
“Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz Sharif must remain in jail until the general elections are over. On assurances from the other side, he (Saqib Nisar) became calm and happily demanded another cup of tea,” this is what is said in the affidavit of the former top judge of GB Rana M Shamim talking about the then top judge of Pakistan, according to The News International.
Shamim’s statement was given under oath before the Oath Commissioner on Wednesday, according to documents.
Before the 2018 general elections on July 25, an accountability court had convicted Nawaz and Maryam in a graft case. Their lawyers had moved to the court for suspension of the conviction but the case was postponed till the last week of July after initial hearings, the Pakistani publication said.
Rana Shamim initially confirmed the content of the affidavit read to him on a WhatsApp call by this correspondent.
Saqib Nisar was also approached over the matter but he categorically denied that he had ever directed any of his subordinate judges in connection with any judicial order whether it pertained to Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz or anyone else, reported The News International. (ANI)