MANSEHRA: A viral picture shows former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s son-in-law retired captain Mohammad Safdar hiding Saturday night in a Mansehra cave along with friends ahead of his surrender in Rawalpindi over conviction in the Avenfield flats corruption case.
The accountability court of Islamabad had awarded Mr Safdar one-year imprisonment in the case.
The undated picture reportedly released by the aides of Mr Safdar on the social media claimed that the cave was located in the mountainous Tanawal area. It also showed the former premier’s son-in-law with a small suitcase.
After the court announced his conviction in the Avenfield case on Friday, Mr Safdar had announced that he was ready to surrender.
Aides of Nawaz’s son-in-law reportedly released picture on social media
He, however, went into hiding before surrendering to the NAB in Rawalpindi after high drama.
The PML-N sources claimed that Mr Safdar left the cave on Sunday morning to reach Rawalpindi by the infrequent Chappar Road, which linked Lassan Nawab area of Mansehra with Haripur.
Mr Safdar is also facing a NAB inquiry into Rs4 billion corruption in Mansehra development funds.
When contacted, PML-N district president Zafar Mehmood denied the stay of Mr Safdar in a Tanawal cave and said the former premier’s son-in-law had gone straight to Rawalpindi from Mansehra to surrender.
CANDIDATURE WITHDRAWN:
Disgruntled PTI leader Ambreen Swati has announced her withdrawal from the NA-13, Mansehra, elections as an independent candidate. The development comes in light of PTI chairman Imran Khan’s announcement that the party won’t accept independents after the July 25 elections.
The PTI had awarded the NA-13 ticket to Ms Ambreen, general secretary of its women wing in Hazara division, but later withdrew it angering the party’s woman leader, who announced that she would contest the election as an independent candidate.
“I was firm to contest election but I am no more in the election race as an independent candidate in the wake of Imran Khan’s announcement that he won’t allow the entry of independents to the party after elections,” Ms Ambreen told reporters here on Monday. She however said she wouldn’t support PTI-backed independent candidate in the constituency, Salah Mohammad Khan.
“I am bound to accept the orders of the party chairman and not those issued by the local office-bearers, who support independents in national and provincial assembly constituencies of Mansehra,” she said.
Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2018
