Avenfield verdict: Sharif's son-in-law arrested

Rawalpindi [Pakistan], Jul 8 (ANI): The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Sunday arrested former Pakistan President Nawaz Sharif's son-in-law Captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar here, who was pronounced guilty in the Avenfield properties reference case.
Safdar was taken into custody by two high-ranking NAB officials after he appeared at a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) rally in Rawalpindi, Geo TV reported.
Around 3,000 people were around the vehicle in which Safdar was travelling along with the NAB officials.
Geo TV reported quoting sources that the NAB will take Safdar to its office in Islamabad from where he will be shifted most likely to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi after a medical check-up.
NAB officials have warned that anyone found helping Safdar's evasion from the authorities would be arrested.
Earlier, Safdar while appearing for a rally in Rawalpindi said he was here to court arrest among his supporters, according to Geo TV.
Safdar had reportedly vowed to surrender from an undisclosed location.
"I had earlier decided to court arrest in Tarnol, but as per the party's decision, I will now surrender from another city. Surrendering is an honourable act," Geo TV had quoted his audio message.
Safdar's name has been added to the blacklist after the verdict was announced and he cannot leave Pakistan.
His last known location, since the verdict was announced, was his home constituency of Mansehra from where he intended to contest the general elections in Pakistan scheduled on July 25.
Meanwhile, Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz on Saturday said she and her father will return to Pakistan on July 13.
On Friday, Sharif was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of eight million pounds has been slapped on him in the Avenfield case while his daughter was sentenced to seven years of jail and fined two million pounds by the accountability court.
Safdar was also sentenced to one year of imprisonment and has been barred from contesting the general elections on July 25.
The Sharif family is set to challenge the verdict on Monday (July 9). (ANI)