Pakistan suspends judge who convicted ex-PM of corruption

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s law minister says authorities have “temporarily barred a judge from working” after an opposition leader accused him of convicting her father, ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif, because of outside pressure.

Farogh Naseem made the announcement Friday, days after Maryam Nawaz claimed the judge — in a secretly videotaped conversation — admitted he convicted Sharif of corruption after being coerced. She said the judge, Arshad Malik, also admitted there was no evidence against Sharif.

The judge denies the charge.

At a recent press conference, Nawaz played a video allegedly showing a loyalist of the former PM conspiring with the judge to convict both Sharif and his daughter.

Sharif is currently serving a prison term for corruption. Nawaz was also convicted but was later released on bail after her sentence was suspended.

The Associated Press