NAB submits reply on Maryam Nawaz's bail plea in LHC, fears she may flee country
The NAB report stated that Maryam's crime is not against one individual but the entire society.
LAHORE (Dunya News) - The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has submitted preliminary investigative report to the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Maryam Nawaz’s bail plea, where NAB has expressed fear that she might flee abroad.
The anti-graft watchdog report stated that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice-president’s crime is not against one individual but the entire society, and she keeps on obstructing the probe against her. "Yousaf Abbas, accused in Chaudhry Sugar Mills reference, had also tried to escape before", read the report.
The NAB report further stated that Maryam Nawaz has been the director of CSM from 1992 to 1997, Chief Executive Officer from 1995 to 1996, and share holder from 1995 to 2008.
According to the bureau’s report submitted to the LHC, the PML-N leader owned 8,064,000 shares of Sugar Mills, while from 2008 to 2010, she became the owner of 47% shares.
The report read that Nawaz Sharif and his daughter, Maryam Nawaz, invested in Chaudhry and Shamim Sugar Mills, but both of them did not disclose their investments. “Maryam Nawaz did not disclose sources of Rs440 million investment,” read report.
According to the anti-graft watchdog report, there is also evidence of Maryam Nawaz, Yousuf Abbas and Abdul Aziz Abbas building Shamim Sugar Mills spending Rs260 million.
According to the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) records, three foreigners were also shareholders of Chaudhry Sugar Mills till 2008. Saeed Saif bin Jabar Al-Suweidi (UAE), Sheikh Zakauddin (UK), Hani Ahmad Jamjoom (Saudi) were the owners of 10.15 million shareholders.
According to the report, under the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) records, from 1992 to 2008, Maryam and Nawaz Sharif had Rs20.9 million but they bought shares worth Rs400 million. “The accused did not disclose the means of buying shares worth Rs440 million from three foreigners in 2008”, report stated.
Earlier, the Lahore High Court (LHC) adjourned hearing of a post-arrest bail petition filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Maryam Nawaz in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case till tomorrow.
A two-member bench headed by Justice Ali Baqir Najfi presided over the hearing and inquired from Maryam’s defence counsel if the petitioner has been meeting her father Nawaz Sharif.
To this, the court was told that she has been granted permission to meet Sharif.
Importantly, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has also submitted its response in the court regarding its stance over the bail petition.
The LHC heard both the main petition and the miscellaneous petition together today.
The NAB suspects Maryam of involvement in money laundering through investments of variable heavy amounts being the main shareholder of the CSM. It has alleged that she was involved in money laundering with the help of some foreigners during the period of 1992-93, when her father Nawaz Sharif was the prime minister.
