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Now it's Sharif and his cronies' turn to face court cases

Now that the military has taken over the affairs of the country, a slew of criminal and civil cases are expected to be filed against deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his brother and former Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, interior minister Choudhary Shujaat Hussain, chief of Ehtesab Bureau Senator Saifur Rehman and several other senior officials.

The charges would relate to loan defaults, misuse of authority and favouritism. The families of Sharif, Hussain and Rehman collectively owe billions to banks in Pakistan, but had managed to reschedule their loans.

By virtue of these huge loans, these families have stashed away a large sum of money and set up factories. The son-in-law of a prominent federal minister defaulted on a Rs 200-million loan taken from a commercial bank but no action was initiated against him, it is alleged.

Sharif rewarded his favourites by elevating them to high posts, and contrary to his statement at the time of swearing-in that the cabinet would be small in size, he ended up appointing 70 federal ministers.

Sharif is also accused of going in for grandiose schemes, inconsiderate of the strain it would impose on the treasury.

UNI

ALSO SEE:
PIA pilot which changed Pakistan's course

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