Daily Times

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday postponed hearing on a petition seeking bail of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz in Chaudhry Sugar Mills case till Wednesday (today).

The hearing was adjourned over the request of director general of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore.

Responding to NAB’s appeal, Maryam Nawaz’s lawyer said the court had not issued any notice to anti-corruption watchdog’s DG and “we can easily brief the case in this hearing.” However, Justice Ali Baqir adjourned the proceedings, saying that the arguments will be recorded in the presence of NAB counsel.

Earlier, NAB had submitted preliminary investigative report to the LHC on Maryam Nawaz’s bail plea, where the bureau had expressed fear that she might flee abroad.

NAB 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 PML-N leader owned 8,064,000 shares of Sugar Mills, while from 2008 to 2010, she became the owner of 47% shares. Nawaz Sharif and his daughter, Maryam Nawaz, invested in Chaudhry and Shamim Sugar Mills, but both of them did not disclose their investments, the reported stated.

On October 24, Maryam Nawaz had filed plea in LHC requesting the court to release her on bail as her father was unwell and undergoing medical treatment at the hospital.

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 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. On July 19, accountability court had turned down petition of NAB claiming Maryam Nawaz had produced a bogus trust deed in Avenfield reference.