Nawaz being provided with facilities as per law: Ali Zafar

ISLAMABAD: The caretaker government on Saturday termed the statements about the treatment to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Adiala Jail as political-oriented and reiterated that facilities being provided to the convicted premier are in accordance with law and as per jail manual.

Caretaker Federal Minister for Information and Law Barrister Ali Zafar suggested the former prime minister to approach the court if he thinks that he is not provided facilities in lockup as per jail manual.

In an exclusive sitting with The News at his office, Ali Zafar said that no doubt Nawaz Sharif remained prime minter and high profile personality, but, at present, he has been convicted by the court in a reference and whatever facilities he is entitled to get at jail as per sentence awarded to him, he should be ensured those facilities.

“There is no distinction between Karam Deen and Alam Deen and whosoever convicted by a court of law are required to be treated equally as per law,” Ali Zafar said, adding that although there are grades and categorization for providing facilities to the inmates in jail manual.

However, the caretaker law minister said that there is no privilege available in jail manual for the distinguished personalities like prime ministers or high profile dignitaries, saying a convict is a convict whether he is a high profile or an ordinary person.

“But if Nawaz Sharif think that he is not being treated in lock up as per jail manual, he should approach the court and unless and until he does not approach the court, the Punjab Jail authorities cannot change its position nor it should as well,” Ali Zafar said.

The three times prime minister of Pakistan was arrested on July 13 from Lahore airport soon after their return from abroad and was Shifted to Adiala Jail along with his daughter Maryam Nawaz after they were found guilty in London’s Avenfield property case.

Later, his son Hussain Nawaz, in his tweet, complained about the lack of facilities and miserable condition of the room of Adiala Jail of Rawalpindi where his father is being kept. He stated that his father was not given a bed to sleep on and the bathroom was extremely dirty, probably not cleaned for ages.

Similarly, Nawaz Sharif complained to his legal team about lack of facilities in Adiala Jail. The Nawaz Sharif ‘s meeting with his lawyers was held in the presence of the jail superintendent, and he complained about the lack of facilities in the room, he is being kept in.

Barrister Ali Zafar, however, said he came across mixed statements in media wherein some people were complaining that the Punjab Jail authorities were favouring the former premier with regard to better facilities while some were complaining that he was providing fewer facilities.

In this regard, Ali Zafar said that he held a meeting the other day with the Punjab home minister, asking him about such complaints to which he said that whosoever giving statements were just playing politics on their parts saying facilities are being provided to Sharif family at jail which were mentioned in Jail Manual.

“These are the facts, but you cannot stop someone from giving statements,” Ali Zafar said, adding that if fewer facilities were provided to Sharif family than he would suggest that Mian Sahib should move the court in this regard but until and unless Mian Sahib doesn’t approach the court, the Punjab government cannot give weight to the public statements and cannot change its position nor it should as well.

Replying to a question regarding the recent meeting of Kamran Murtaza, Vice Chairman Pakistan Bar Council with Mian Nawaz Sharif, Ali Zafar said that as per his (Kamran Murtaza) statement as he read in paper that Mian Sahib was not given the facilities which he was entitled for.

Ali Zafar said that Kamran Murtaza gave a general statement. He said that in Jail Manual, categorisation of facilities were mentioned, adding that although the facilities in jail cannot be that of five star hotel.

He said that as per statements, he red in the papers, it was mentioned that the legal team that visited the Adiala Jail to meet the former premier, it was not on behalf of the Pakistan Bar Council, while some said that they visited the jail on legal status; therefore, a dispute is in progress among the Pakistan Bar Council as one group seems to have soft corner with the former premier or PML-N while the other is against.

“So, politics is there in such statement, Zafar said, adding that no doubt Nawaz Sharif was a prime minister, and he is a high profile personality, but, at present, he has been convicted by the court and as the court had given a decision against him and awarded him sentence, therefore, if he is not getting those facilities he entitled for in accordance with the Jail Manual, he should approach the court.