Daily Times

A court in Lahore on Tuesday took up a civil suit accusing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s mother of illegally occupying 108 kanals of land in the vicinity of Lahore’s Jati Umrah.

Judge Muhammad Kashif heard the case instituted by a woman, named Rabia Roshan. He directed the plaintiff’s lawyers to forward their final arguments on the civil suit on next hearing and adjourned the case.

Submitting a statement in response to the court’s notice, Shamim Bibi, the mother of the PML-N supremo, said she legally purchased the land in question and had documents to substantiate her claim to the property.

She alleged the woman filed the suit to blackmail the Sharif family and expressed willingness to place on record all relevant documents regarding the property.

In her plea, Ms Roshan stated that Shamim Bibi illegally got her mother sign the deed of transfer of the land and pleaded with the court to declare that the land deed is void and of no legal effect.

Meanwhile, a local court in Lahore on Tuesday issued a bailable arrest warrant against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Captain (r) Safdar in a case pertaining to clash outside the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore office on the appearance of party vice president Maryam Nawaz.

A district kachehri conducted the hearing of a case against Captain Retired Safdar Awan and others over clashing police officials outside a NAB court in 2019.

Judicial magistrate Hafiz Nafees heard the case where the prosecution told him about non-compliance of the orders by accused persons despite being summoned.

The prosecution pleaded for issuance of warrants of the accused persons to make progress in the trial.

Later, the district kachehri issued bailable arrest warrants of the accused and adjourned the hearing till December 5.

A case had been registered against Captain Retired Safdar Awan and others at Islampura police station in 2019 over scuffle with police officials outside the accountability court during the appearance of Maryam Nawaz.

It is to be mentioned here that Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) had already confirmed interim bail of 30 suspects including PML-N senior leaders Rana Sanaullah and Captain (r) Safdar.

In September 2020, a clash erupted between outraged PML-N workers and police as Maryam Nawaz reached the NAB office in a case pertaining to illegal transfer of 180 acres of land in Raiwind.

PML-N workers – who accompanied Maryam Nawaz from Jati Umrah to the NAB office in a convoy – pelted stones at police officials and tried to break the barriers outside the anti-corruption watchdog’s office.

In retaliation, the police resorting to aerial firing, shelling and baton charge to disperse the infuriated crowd. Several protesters including women were arrested.

Maryam Nawaz left the NAB office premises without appearing before the accountability bureau and then came back for the second time.

“Police threw stones at my car which broke its screen. I am here to give answers to the NAB questions. Why did you summon me if you are so scared? Now have some courage to listen to me,” the PML-N vice-president said.

She said that state terrorism and repression was demonstrated in front of NAB office, unarmed workers were tortured. She said that I stood outside the NAB door and asked them to take my reply but they did not open the NAB office door.

The anti-corruption watchdog had leaked the information to media about the notice. There was no allegation in the notice and the reason to call me on this vague notice was to harm me, she added.