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Pakistani court brings charges of tax evasion, fraud against Sharif |
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June 3, 2000
ATTOCK FORT, Pakistan, JUNE 2 (AP) - A Pakistani court on Friday charged deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with tax evasion, corruption and fraudulently importing a helicopter.
Sharif and co-defendant Saifur Rehman, a former senator and chief of the Accountability Bureau, pleaded innocent. A hearing in the case will begin on June 9.
The charges carry a maximum sentence of 14 years imprisonment. If convicted, Sharif and Rehman can disqualified from holding a public office for 21 years.
A provincial court on Friday also accepted a government appeal seeking the death penalty for Sharif on separate charges of hijacking and terrorism.
Sharif has already been convicted on those charges and sentenced to two concurrent life sentences. The hearing on whether the former prime minister should be given the death penalty will begin on June 12.
Sharif was charged with importing a Russian-made helicopter, worth dlrs 1.3 million in 1993, which was not shown in his declaration of property to the tax department. He also was charged with evading taxes and concealing his wealth.
Sharif told the court the charges are "bogus" and "cooked-up."
"The army is staging a drama through the NAB (National Accountability Bureau). This is a shame in the name of accountability," Sharif told the court.
"I have already been given 25 years of imprisonment. You can give me another 50 years of jail term. I am even ready to be hanged," he said.
"My fate has already been decided. The army is firing the gun by keeping it on your shoulder," he told the court.
Sharif's lawyer, Mujeebur Rehman, boycotted the court proceedings earlier, saying authorities are not allowing him to meet his client.
When the judge read out the charges against him, Sharif was without a lawyer.
Aside from Sharif, several other high profile high-level politicians are being tried in the 16th century Attock Fort - 104 kilometers (62 miles) east of the federal capital, Islamabad.
The government says the trials of politicians are being conducted here to ensure their security.
Army Chief Gen. Pervez Musharraf overthrew Sharif's civilian government in a bloodless military coup on Oct. 12, accusing it of massive corruption, undermining the constitution and destroying institutions.
Sharif's ouster was generally welcomed by Pakistanis who had grown frustrated with corruption in successive elected governments.
The military-led government has formed the National Accountability Bureau, giving it sweeping powers to investigate corruption cases, make arrests and prosecute suspects.
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