Nawaz Sharif's first night in jail: Former Pak PM, daughter provided 'B' class facilities in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam, who spent their first night in the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, were provided "B" class facilities, media reports said.

The country's anti-graft body - National Accountability Bureau - arrested Nawaz and Maryam in the Evenfield properties case upon their arrival from London via Abu Dhabi. The plane carrying the two landed at Lahore's Allama Iqbal Airport at 9:15 IST, nearly three hours late from the scheduled arrival. They were flown to Islamabad on a special aircraft and then were taken to the Adiala Jail in separate armoured personnel carriers escorted by police convoys.

The authorities, according to new plan, have decided to keep the former prime minister and his daughter in the Adiala jail in the garrison city where they have been provided 'B' class facilities, The News reported.

According to a notification issued by the Islamabad administration, they have declared a rest house at the Sihala Police Training College in the capital as a sub-jail to keep the two figures, with immediate effect and until further orders.

Also Read: Nawaz Sharif arrested in Lahore: Here's how things unfolded

However, Geo News quoting sources reported that authorities have decided to keep them at the Adiala Jail for now.

A team of doctors, in the presence of Islamabad magistrate and senior police officials at Adiala jail, conducted the medical examination of Sharif and his daughter Maryam and declared them fit.

As per the rules class 'B' consists of prisoners who by social status, education or habit of life have been accustomed to a superior mode of living. Habitual prisoners can be included in this class by order of the government, the News reported.

It is learnt that usually A or B class prisoners are educated and give lessons to the uneducated prisoners perhaps in Class C. They do not do hard labour and can be engaged in useful work which is defined as rigorous punishment in their case.

The room of class A and B prisoners are usually equipped with: one cot, one chair, one teapot, one lantern if there is no electric light, a shelf, and necessary washing and sanitary appliances.

The expenses of facilities to prisoners under A or B class such as TV, air-conditioner, fridge, and newspapers are usually paid by prisoners with the permission of jail department, the report added.

Both Sharif, 68, and Maryam, 44, have been sentenced by an accountability court to 10 and 7 years in prison respectively.

Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court last year in the Panama Papers case.

Sharif has been one of the country's leading politicians for most of the past 30 years. He remains popular, especially in Punjab, the most populous and electorally significant province. 

As the two spent the night in jail, their supporters clashed with police in Lahore. At least 50 people were injured on Friday during clashes between PML-N workers and police in Pakistan's Punjab province during rallies held in connection with the arrival of Sharif and his daughter. 

"At least 50 people including 20 policemen have been injured during clashes between PML-N workers, police and the Rangers mostly in Lahore and some adjoining districts in Punjab," Punjab police spokesman Niyab Haider told PTI.

Thousands of people yesterday participated in the PML-N rally led by its president Shahbaz Sharif in Lahore to greet the two leaders on their arrival at the airport. The participants could not reach the airport as the city was sealed off by police to prevent them from reaching the airport.

Haider said a major clash took place at the Joray Pul, some five km away from the Lahore airport, where the PML-N rally was stopped. The participants pelted stones at police and the Rangers as they fired tear gas on them.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Law and Justice has issued a new notification, saying that the accountability court would conduct trial of remaining two corruption cases, which include Flagship Investments and Al Azizia Steel Mills, against Sharif and others at the Adiala jail.

Accountability Court-Islamabad Judge Muhammad Bashir, who last night issued warrants for the imprisonment of the three-time premier and his political heir, will conduct the trial against the Sharifs in the jail, the report said.

(With PTI inputs)