Friday, April 26, 2024

Maryam, Yousaf sent to jail on 14-day judicial remand

Maryam, Yousaf sent to jail on 14-day judicial remand
September 25, 2019
LAHORE (92 News) – Accountability court on Wednesday sent Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz and his cousin Yousaf Abbas to jail on 14-day judicial remand in Chaudhry Sugar Mills case. Maryam Nawaz and Yousaf Abbas were presented before court after expiring physical remand. During the hearing, the court rejected a request by National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) for an extension in the physical remand of Maryam Nawaz and her cousin and ordered to send the duo on judicial remand for 14-days. NAB prosecutors Hafiz Asadullah Awan and Haris Qureshi, presented their arguments, saying that said further investigation was required in the case. During today’s proceedings, the NAB prosecutor said that during the investigation of two they had found out about an agreement for the division of the family’s assets. He said shares valued at Rs14.558 million were divided between Nawaz Sharif, his brothers, National Assembly Opposition Leader Shahbaz Sharif and late Abbas Sharif, Kausar Bibi and Shamim Begum. Later, after sending on judicial remand, the court has directed to produce the accused on October 9 for further proceedings. On August 8, NAB team had detained Maryam Nawaz outside the Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore for skipping appearance in Chaudhry Sugar Mills due to meeting with her father and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Maryam Nawaz was unable to provide the required details of foreign investment in sugar mills while she was also failed to satisfy the bureau regarding source of income for purchasing the shares. NAB has also claimed that three foreigners had transferred 11000 shares worth millions of rupees on Maryam Nawaz’s name.

Chaudhry Sugar Mills case:

In a press conference, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar had said the Sharif Family had used Chaudhry Sugar Mills for money-laundering and illegal transfer of its shares. During the probe, it was revealed that a $15 million loan was taken on the pretext to set up the mill despite the fact that it had already been established before the loan was acquired, the special assistant claimed. He had added that the loan was never transferred to Pakistan as shown by the record of the State Bank of Pakistan. He had said more than Rs7 million worth of shares were transferred to PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz in 2008 through mill’s shares, which were later transferred to Yousaf Abbas Sharif in 2010.