Pakistani court extends protection from arrest in graft cases to former premier Nawaz Sharif

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A Pakistani court has extended protection from arrest to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in graft cases while another withdrew its arrest warrant against him on Tuesday following his return home after four years of self-imposed exile in London.

Sharif appeared at the Islamabad High Court and the anti-graft tribunal to appeal his 2018 conviction on corruption and clear his name prior to parliamentary elections due in January.

The court extended Sharif’s bail until Thursday, his lawyer Azam Nazeer Tarar said.

Hundreds of his supporters gathered outside the court complex building, throwing rose petals on his car as he arrived amid tight security.

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Sharif stepped down as prime minister in 2017 over corruption charges. In 2018, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison by the anti-graft tribunal in a corruption case involving purchases of luxury apartments in London.

A year later, he complained of chest pains and was granted permission by his then-successor Imran Khan to travel to London for medical treatment following a court order. He cited medical conditions as not allowing him to travel back to Pakistan. In 2020, an anti-graft court in Islamabad issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to return.

Currently, Khan — Sharif’s successor and main political rival — is imprisoned on corruption charges and serving a three-year sentence. Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote in April 2022 but he is still Pakistan’s leading opposition figure and enjoys a large following, along with his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.

Sharif has returned to lead the election campaign for his Pakistan Muslim League party ahead of the parliamentary elections.

Like Khan, Sharif — at least for the time being — is not eligible to run for a seat in parliament.

Khan on Monday was indicted in a case in which he is accused of revealing official secrets after his ouster. He faces a possible death sentence in this case and will likely be unable to run in the parliamentary elections.