The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore on Wednesday summoned PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case, a private TV channel reported.
Maryam has been directed to appear before NAB Lahore on March 26 in the case. She had earlier appeared before the accountability watchdog on August 11, 2020.
According to the NAB spokesperson, the bureau has received new evidence concerning the PML-N vice president. “In the light of new evidence, Maryam Nawaz should be investigated,” he added.
NAB had arrested Maryam along with her cousin Yousaf Abbas in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case on August 8. As per NAB, the bureau in January 2018 had received a Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU) report describing suspicious transactions in billions of rupees regarding the Chaudhry Sugar Mills under the Anti-Money Laundering Act. At the time, the PML-N was the ruling party in the country.
After receiving the FMU report, NAB started its inquiry in October 2018 and found that Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Shahbaz Sharif and family, and Abbas Sharif and family are shareholders in the company, along with some foreigners from the UAE and the UK. During the probe, it was found that huge investments were made in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills from 2001 to 2017 amounting to billions of rupees in the name of issuing shares in foreigners’ names. Interestingly, later on, the same shares were transferred back to Maryam, Hussain, and Nawaz without paying any money to the foreign business partners.
Separately, the Lahore High Court (LHC) has issued a written order on the application moved by NAB for cancellation of Maryam Nawaz’s bail.
A two-member bench of the LHC issued the order Wednesday in response to the plea moved by NAB Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case.
The written order states that the order granting Maryam bail cannot be suspended immediately. It notes that the anti-graft watchdog claimed that despite repeatedly summoning the PML-N leader, she did not appear. The federal home secretary has been directed to file a detailed reply on NAB’s request by April 7.
