Nawaz asks court to delay Avenfield verdict until he returns from London

LONDON: Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has requested the accountability court to delay the verdict on Avenfield reference case “for a few days only”.

At a press conference held on the steps of Harley Street Clinic, Nawaz Sharif said that he wanted to be in the courtroom in person to hear the verdict.

"I am not a dictator who will run away from the courts. I will not run away and I will not let down my people," he said, while speaking to the media. "My wife has been on a ventilator since last 21 days. I want to hear the verdict in the court room where I have presented myself with my daughter over 100 times.”

Nawaz vowed that he would return to Pakistan no matter what the verdict is. “I will face all kinds of consequences and I will not run away. At this moment I am praying that Kulsoom becomes conscious and comes out of coma. If it comes in my favour, or, God forbid, it comes against me, I will go back.”

Earlier, the accountability court said it would announce its verdict in Avenfield reference case on July 6 and asked Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz to be present in the courtroom.

"I will return as soon as Kulsoom's health improves," he said. "She underwent an operation yesterday (Tuesday). Doctors are hopeful she will come out of danger zone soon. I wish to see her conscious before going back to Pakistan. I have faced one-sided accountability for months and not only Pakistan but the whole world is aware about the revengeful cases against me but I have not evaded these cases."

The former prime minister said that the court gave verdict on the eligibility of a politician from Rawalpindi after reserving the decision for as many as three months and there were instances where verdicts were saved and reserved up to 8 months.

"I am not asking for three months but a relief for some days."

Nawaz and his family are facing three corruption cases in the accountability court after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed references against them in light of the Supreme Court's verdict in the Panama Papers case last year.

The PML-N leader said that irrespective of the decision, whether it is in his favor or not, he will return to Pakistan.

Nawaz said that doctors have expressed their hopes that his wife's health will be out of danger in the coming days.

Nawaz said that he is facing one-sided investigations from July 2017 but the nation is standing with him. "The nation supports my respect for vote stance," he said.

The former prime minister said that the nation's decision on July 25 would change the destiny of the country.

"The entire nation is aware of one-sided actions against me. Those carrying the ‘Jeep’ symbol will not be able to manipulate the mandate of the people and they will be rejected by the voters," he said.

Nawaz said that he is ready to give any sacrifice for the people's right to govern and for the respect to vote.

"I am people's representative, I won't disappoint the nation by displaying cowardice. Those who are stopping the people's right to govern will become made an example by the masses," the three-time elected former prime minister affirmed.

He said that his slogan of “give respect to vote” was popular and people of Pakistan believed in that. He said that he was aware of the dangers he faced but he would return to Pakistan to face any consequences. He said that he will continue to speak out for the kind of Pakistan that should been made. “We didn’t get independence to get into slavery.”

Earlier in the morning, Maryam Nawaz Sharif said that she is willing to go to prison to pay the high price of the path she has taken.

When asked if she is ready to go to prison, she remarked: "I am absolutely ready.”

“There is nothing to be scared of. Once you have picked up this flag of a work which no one has done in last 70 years, there is a price we have to pay and we are paying currently,” she added.

“There is a cost which one must pay and I am aware of it.”