Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Sharif acquitted in plane hijack case

|
|
 
  
Published: July 17, 2009 at 2:24 AM

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, July 17 (UPI) -- Pakistan's Supreme Court Friday acquitted Nawaz Sharif in a plane hijacking case going back to when he was prime minister.

The unanimous ruling by the five-member court set aside Sharif's life sentence, handed down in 2000 by an anti-terrorism court, in a case that was filed by the government of former President Pervez Musharraf.

Sharif, now the leader of a faction of the Muslim League party, had dismissed Musharraf as army chief in 1999. The former prime minister was subsequently removed in an army coup.

Sharif, who had consistently maintained his innocence, was sentenced after being found guilty of refusing to allow a commercial aircraft carrying Musharraf and 200 other passengers, from landing at Karachi airport. The charge against Sharif was hijacking the general's plane.

The brief Supreme Court ruling said the charges against Sharif were not proved, Dawn newspaper reported.

Topics: Nawaz Sharif, Pervez Musharraf
Recommended Stories
© 2009 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
The Tibetan Moniam Festival in China Super Bowl XLVI ticker tape victory parade The making of the Oscars
The Chicago Auto Show The Most Desirable Women of 2012 Tu Bishvat Migron settlement
Additional Top News Stories
1 of 21
President Obama Signs Smuggling Prevention Act at White House
View Caption
fark
Scientists discover a drug designed to fight cancer reverses Alzheimer's in mice. Still no cure...
Cutting out the middle man ... antiques dealer with late stage cancer hosting her own estate sale...
Customer from grocery store finds hand grenade hidden among potatoes
Cop pulls gun on woman for taking too many items through the self-check out at WalMart, because...
Fan of British sitcom "Red Dwarf" escapes Philadelphia Police custody. Last seen wearing handcuffs...
Paul and Storm request your help to petition the NFL to have Weird Al Yankovic perform the SuperBowl...