'PML-N will lead struggle for democracy in Pak'

Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Sunday that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party will lead the struggle for restoring democracy in the country.

Speaking to media in London, Maryam was quoted by Geo TV as saying, "We will sacrifice for the benefit of the nation and the generations to come. No matter what they do, voters cannot be stopped. The movement to 'respect the vote' has reached a decisive phase."

She added that she and her father would land in Lahore in the next few days, according to the report.

In a veiled jibe at former Pakistan President General (retired) Pervez Musharraf, Maryam asserted, "Some people use backache as an excuse to flee abroad. There are also some leaders who preferred fleeing Pakistan to escape punishment."

She underscored that the "entire nation is behind Sharif" and claimed that her father is the "first leader who is set to return to Pakistan to face the punishment."

Earlier in the day, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high-level party meeting to decide a future course of action on Sharif's return to Pakistan.

According to sources, it was decided in the meeting that Sharif and Maryam should land in Lahore while returning from London.

On Saturday, Maryam said she and her father will return to Pakistan on July 13.

Meanwhile, Maryam's husband Captain (retired) Muhammad Safdar Awan, who is also convicted in the Avenfield reference case, appeared at a PML-N rally in Rawalpindi on Sunday.

Safdar said he is here to court arrest among his supporters, Geo TV reported.

On Friday, Sharif was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of eight million pounds has been slapped on him in the Avenfield case, while his daughter was sentenced to seven years of jail and fined two million pounds by the accountability court.

Safdar was also sentenced to one year of imprisonment in connection to the case.

The Sharif family is set to challenge the verdict on Monday (July 9).