Lahore (Staff Report/Agencies): Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif a little after midnight on Wednesday returned to Kot Lakhpat jail after his six-week bail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference expired.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo had left his Jati Umra residence in Lahore for the jail with a procession of PML-N workers led by Maryam Nawaz around 8:30pm.
Nawaz was meant to reach the prison before midnight, his motorcade progressed slowly due to the traffic jam caused by the supporters. He eventually reached the jail around 12:15am. A heavy contingent of police was deployed on the road adjoining the jail.
Earlier, Punjab’s Home Department had instructed Nawaz to reach Kot Lakhpat Jail by 5pm today, and said his arrival in the form of a rally would be against the law.
On May 3, The Supreme Court had rejected former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s petitions seeking an extension in the bail granted to him and allow him to travel abroad for medical treatment.
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Asif Saeed Khosa heard the pleas.
The top court granted six-week bail to Nawaz on medical grounds. Former premier's bail is set to expire on May 7.
On April 25, Nawaz Sharif submitted a review petition in the SC seeking permanent bail and allow him to travel abroad.
The PML-N supremo, through his petition, requested the court to review its decision and allow him to travel abroad.
On March 26, the Supreme Court had granted bail to former premier Nawaz Sharif for six weeks against a surety bond of Rs5 million in a petition filed on medical grounds in Al Azizia corruption reference; however, with a restriction that he cannot leave the country.
Nawaz was sentenced to seven years in prison and was fined Rs1.5 billion and $25 million in the Al Azizia corruption reference by an accountability court on December 24, 2018.