Nawaz Sharif Declared Absconder in Corruption Case
In a similar case, India’s PM Narendra Modi is also allegedly involved in more serious cases of corruption including the Rafale deal and the Birla-Sahara corruption case.
By Rakesh Raman
The Pakistan government on Tuesday (February 25) decided not to extend the bail term of former Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif who was released from jail on bail in a corruption case.
According to a news report in the Dawn newspaper, the government declared him an absconder for violating the bail conditions by not presenting his medical report before a board formed on the order of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
The Supreme Court of Pakistan had removed Sharif from office on corruption charges and he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. On November 19, however, the Lahore High Court allowed Sharif to travel abroad for 4 weeks for medical treatment. As it was expected, Sharif did not come back and absconded.
“After Nawaz Sharif failed to submit his medical report of any hospital in London, the medical board rejected a medical certificate sent by him and the government has declared him an absconder,” said Special Assistant to Pakistan PM on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan. “From today Nawaz Sharif is an absconder according to the law of land and if he does not return to the country he will be declared a proclaimed offender.”
She said the Punjab government, which was authorized by the IHC to decide Sharif’s case on medical grounds, had written several letters asking the self-exiled former premier to submit his medical report from any hospital in London.
But he failed to do so and only sent a certificate which was not accepted by the medical board. “If he is seriously ill then why a comprehensive medical report is not being submitted to the medical board,” she added.
It is expected that the Punjab government will move the IHC with the medical board’s decision to get Sharif legally declared an absconder or a proclaimed offender.
CORRUPTION CASE OF PM MODI
In a similar case, India’s PM Narendra Modi is also allegedly involved in more serious cases of corruption including the Rafale deal and the Birla-Sahara corruption case.
Despite prima facie evidence against Modi, the Indian judiciary – which is working tightly under the control of the government – is not allowing even investigation to take place in these cases.
Recently, on November 14, the Supreme Court of India dismissed the review petitions in the Rafale case. It is alleged that corruption worth Rs. 30,000 crore (~ US$ 4 billion) took place in the Rafale deal which was handled by Modi in a shady manner.
Modi’s involvement in the Rafale corruption scandal becomes more evident because the officer who protected Modi has been rewarded for his delinquency. K.V. Chowdary – who retired as the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) which is India’s top anti-corruption organization – has been hired as additional director on the board of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) led by Mukesh Ambani.
Ambani is a close capitalist friend of Modi, who has been embroiled in multiple corruption scandals. As the CVC of India, Chowdary intervened to get all investigations against Modi dropped.
In the Rafale corruption case, Chowdary had ignored the complaints against Modi and the case was never allowed to reach the investigation level.
By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of a humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society. He also creates and publishes a number of digital publications and research reports on different subjects.
