LAHORE (92 News) – An accountability court in Lahore on Friday granted physical remand of Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz and his cousin Yousaf Abbas till August 21, a day after she was arrested in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case.
Yesterday, the PML-N vice president and her cousin were arrested by the anti-corruption watchdog in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case.
Accountability court judge Naeem Arshad heard NAB’s request for 15-day physical remand of the two. Special prosecutor Hafiz Asadullah and Haris Qureshi presented arguments on behalf of the accountability watchdog. Advocate Amjad Pervez is at the court on behalf of Maryam and her cousin.
During the proceedings, Asadullah said that suspicious transactions had been carried out in Maryam's bank accounts. He added that NAB had summoned her twice.
Asadullah said that Maryam was a shareholder of CSM while Abbas had been a shareholder as well as director. The NAB lawyer said that Maryam did not provide satisfactory answers to their questions, adding that shares that she had purchased in 2008 were transferred to her father former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 2015.
According to the NAB lawyer, Abbas's account was used for money laundering. He added that after money came into his account, it was transferred to the CSM.
The accountability court judge asked what had happened in the Panama Paper case to which the NAB lawyer responded that in the case, three references were to be submitted including one regarding CSM.
The judge asked why Maryam's shares had not come up during the earlier case to which the NAB investigative officer said that it had been mentioned in the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report.
Later, the court approved 12 days remand for Maryam Nawaz and his cousin.
Maryam meets Hamza, family
Maryam also met her cousin, Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz, inside the court premises.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO5eNEsfzD4
Maryam's son Junaid Safdar and husband retired Capt Mohammad Safdar Awan also arrived at the court. While speaking to media, Awan said Maryam was going to hold a rally against India and her voice was once again being silenced.
PML-N workers fight with police personnel
Meanwhile, PML-N workers burnt tires outside the judicial complex while chanting slogans against the government.
Earlier police had said that no party workers or leaders would be allowed to come to the court premises. However, various party leaders including Mohammad Zubair and Uzma Bukhari arrived at the court.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOJMEd--QDk
Ahead of the Maryam’s appearance in the court, strict security arrangements were made with a large contingent of police being stationed inside and outside the court premises.
A quarrel emerged between police personnel and the PML-N workers, one policeman injured during the fight and women workers also exchanged bitter words with the security officials.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXVm1MJga1A
Maryam was arrested by the NAB earlier today from Kot Lakhpat Jail where she had come to visit her father, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
According to the bureau, Maryam and her cousin Yousuf Abbas were taken into custody in connection with the Chaudhry Sugar Mills (CSM) case.
Subsequently, they were shifted to the NAB headquarters. A team of doctors will conduct their medical examination as per the law.
According to the sources, the inquiry was initiated by NAB Rawalpindi. It is learnt that those facing investigation include Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Hamza Shehbaz, Yousaf Abbas and other owners of the sugar mills.
Shehbaz Sharif and his cousin
Mian Aslam Bashir owns 57.77% shares of the mill. Mian Aslam Bashir sold Brothers Sugar Mills and Brothers Engineering fraudulently to Sheikh Nishat Ahmed. He also sold 119 acres in Chunian and 110 acres of agriculture land in Bahawalnagar. There was also a stock of sugar amounting to Rs690 million in the mill and it was also sold to Sheikh Nishat. Later, neither Brothers Sugar Mills nor Brothers Engineering nor agriculture land was handed over to him.
On the other hand, Brothers’ Sugar Mills former CEO Mian Bashir has challenged the NAB notices in the Lahore High Court (LHC) after the notices.
