The Islamabad High Court will review former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s second corruption conviction on Thursday, following its reversal of the first conviction last week. Another acquittal would remove all obstacles on his path to running for elections next February and becoming Pakistan’s prime minister for the fourth time.

A court in Pakistan quashed last week the conviction of Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of  former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, after she was sentenced to seven years in prison for taking part in the purchase of luxury flats in London with money she couldn’t explain how she earned.

Although Pakistan last week paid US$28.7 million to a British asset recovery firm it hired nearly two decades ago to find and recover UK-based assets from dozens of Pakistanis, the firm still seeks $3 million in interests and has tried to get hold of London apartments of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif instead.

Pakistani authorities on Monday arrested the leader of the country’s opposition on charges of corruption, prompting hundreds of his supporters to protest against the latest arrest of a top opponent by the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Authorities detained 56 members of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party (PML-N) who on Tuesday clashed with police in front of the government anti-corruption office in Lahore where the daughter of the party founder, Nawaz Sharif, was summoned in a graft case.

Human Rights Watch, HRW, hasurged Pakistani authorities to implement the order of the Supreme Court and abolish the country’s anti-graft agency’s power to detain government critics. The global advocacy group also asked officials of the National Accountability Bureau, NAB, who are responsible for unlawful arrests and other abuses to be investigated and prosecuted.

The judge who sent Nawaz Sharif behind bars for graft has been dismissed on Friday for violating the code of conduct, which paves the way for the former prime minister to be acquitted and for Pakistan’s political rift to deepen at a time the country is struggling with the coronavirus pandemic.

A legal expert said that Pakistan’s chances to make the U.K. send back a former Pakistani prime minister who was convicted for corruption but allowed to visit London are slim and that the request was most likely made to appease his supporters. 

Because his health deteriorated while in detention for corruption, the High Court in Islamabad released Thursday former Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on bail, his lawyer said.

A Pakistani court granted bail to jailed former PM Nawaz Sharif on medical grounds Friday, his lawyer told media. 

Sharif, 69, was ousted from his post in July 2017 for lying about his wealth after the Panama Papers leaks, which showed he and his family had undeclared businesses in Saudi Arabia and luxurious apartments in London.

Pakistan could soon face a judge in Great Britain for not paying multimillion bills for an investigation into the UK-based property of its jailed ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Guardian reported last week.

Pakistan’s anti-graft officials arrested former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Thursday, in the latest blow to Pakistan’s opposition party that has accused current Prime Minister Imran Khan of targeting its leaders.

A senior judge at Pakistan’s anti-corruption court denied on Sunday that he was blackmailed into convicting ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif of graft last year. The denial comes after Sharif's party showed secret videos alleging the judge was intimidated over the case.

A court in Islamabad found on Monday former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif guilty of corruption, sentenced him to to seven years in prison and fined him US$25 million.

Pakistani officials hailed on Wednesday a newly signed prisoner exchange agreement with the UK, which opens the door for Pakistani fugitives to be returned and serve their sentence at home.

Pakistani authorities arrested on Friday opposition leader and younger brother of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif in connection with alleged corruption in a social housing scheme, the country’s anti-graft agency said.

A Pakistani court in Islamabad ordered ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif and two of his family members to be released on bail while they appeal corruption charges related to their ownership of luxury properties in London.

A Pakistani court rejected on Tuesday appeals made by ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter and his son-in-law to be released on bail and their convictions be suspended, Arab News reported.

A Pakistani anti-corruption court sentenced former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to 10 years in prison on Friday over a corruption scandal prompted by the Panama Papers and centered around several luxury London apartments, the BBC reported.

Pakistan’s anti-graft watchdog, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), has approached Interpol about extraditing deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s sons, Hassan and Hussain Nawaz, from London, NAB chief confirmed on Thursday, Pakistan Today reported.