ISLAMABAD,  (DNA) – National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal on Friday directed the Bureau’s officials to arrest former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz at all cost.

Justice (r) Javed Iqbal presided over a meeting in which he was briefed about the arrest of Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz.

Speaking on the occasion, the anti-graft agency chairman directed the officials to arrest the convicts of the Avenfield reference according to the law.

Justice (r) Javed Iqbal further directed to take stern action against those found creating hurdles in their arrest.

Sources said that the NAB chairman will oversee the shifting of the PML-N supremo and his daughter to Adiala Jail.

Justice (r) Javed Iqbal said that the anti-graft watchdog’s actions have nothing to do with the forthcoming general elections, adding that the other three references will also be taken to logical end within the timeframe.

Last Friday, an accountability court in Pakistan sentenced Nawaz Sharif to 10 years, his daughter Maryam to seven years and son-in-law, Muhammad Safdar to one-year imprisonment in a corruption case named Avenfield Apartment reference.

The sentences, delivered in absentia, against Nawaz Sharif and his daughter who is widely seen as his political heir, have dealt a blow to their Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party. Since then, rumors had been doing the rounds suggesting the duo wouldn’t come back to avoid arrest.

Meanwhile, Pakistan is to hold general elections on July 25 and Sharif’s political party is facing numerous campaign challenges. Under these circumstances, Sharif’s announcement has excited workers of his party across country.

On the other hand, some surveys suggest that Sharif’s PML-N is doing great in the run up to the elections. A survey by an independent consultant namely Gallup Pakistan put PML-N on top with 26 percent as compared to Imran Khan’s PTI with 25 percent. “PML-N will definitely gain following Sharif’s return who is undoubtedly country’s most popular and senior politician.”