Pakistan's ex-PM challenges his 10-year jail term

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was given 10-year jail term this month in a corruption case, challenged his conviction and sought suspension of the guilty verdict, local reports said on Monday.

An anti-graft court had also handed down seven years in prison to Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz on the charges related to four luxury flats in London.

They returned to Pakistan from London on Friday. Both are currently in Adiyala prison in Rawalpindi city near the capital Islamabad where they will face trial in other two corruption cases.

Sharif was accused of having wealth beyond his income. However, the charges were denied by the three-time prime minister as politically-motivated. He was also sentenced one-year in prison for "not cooperating" with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Pakistan's anti-graft body.

His son-in-law was also convicted for one year in jail for abetment.

Sharif's lawyers filed the petition in the Islamabad High Court, which sought acquittal of Nawaz Sharif and dropping all charges framed against him.

The court had imposed 8 million pounds penalty on Nawaz Sharif and 2 million pounds fine on Maryam Nawaz.

A team of four senior lawyers filed the petition which prayed to set aside the judgment, conviction and sentence on July 6, 2018.

The Islamabad High Court has not yet accepted the petition. A date for hearing will be announced after the appeal is accepted.