Daily Times

As PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz obtained bail orders on Wednesday, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) also approached the Lahore High Court (LHC), seeking court orders directing her to visit the NAB office along with at most two people and not with other political workers and leaders.

The LHC approved the interim bail of Maryam Nawaz till April 12 and sought a reply from NAB. A two-member bench of the LHC comprising Justice Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Asjad Javaid Ghural heard the bail petition of Maryam Nawaz in the Jati Umra land case. While giving arguments on the plea, Maryam’s counsel said that NAB could arrest the petitioner after issuing a call-up notice, hence her bail should be approved. The court granted the interim bail to Maryam Nawaz till April 12 and asked the petitioner to submit two surety bonds worth Rs 1 million each. The high court also directed the anti-corruption watchdog to submit its response in the bail petition.

The hearing was adjourned till April 12.

Hours later, NAB also knocked on the doors of the LHC seeking orders directing her to visit the NAB office along with at most two people. NAB’s petition contended that the respondent, Maryam Nawaz, had not been cooperating with the anti-graft body since she was granted post-arrest bail in the Chaudhary Sugar Mills Case. “NAB issued notices to Maryam in the Jatti Umra land case and later issued a call-up notice summoning her by March 26 but respondent Maryam is in no mood to cooperate with the anti-graft body on this investigation and publically ridiculing the NAB authorities,” the NAB in its petition said. “It seems respondent Maryam Nawaz has planned to come to the NAB office with a view to sabotage the investigation process and evade any hearing that may take place before the NAB authorities,” the petition further said.

The NAB prayed the court that respondent Maryam be directed to appear before NAB alone on March 26 along with a maximum of two persons, who may act as her support staff, out of which one may be an accountant to assist her.

The NAB has summoned Maryam for questioning in connection with its ongoing investigations into Raiwind land allotment and the Chaudhry Sugar Mills cases. According to the corruption watchdog, the Sharif family members allegedly illegally acquired 3,500 kanals of land in Raiwind in collusion with the district administration and revenue officials in 2013. In 2015, then Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general Ahad Cheema and the Lahore deputy commissioner altered the master plan, declaring hundreds of kanals of land green-land area, the NAB said.

While talking to journalists outside the LHC building, Maryam Nawaz said that the NAB office was declared a red zone for the first time in history which exposed the government’s fear of a helpless woman. She alleged that gunshots fired on the vehicle during her previous appearance in the NAB office and termed it an attempt on her life. “I have decided to put a stop to their revenge tactics and fight. I am the daughter of Nawaz Sharif – I know how to main ties and exercise political tolerance,” she added.

Maryam Nawaz said she has no differences with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, following what appears to be a confrontation between the two parties over the position of the leader of opposition in the Senate. She said both the parties – PML-N and PPP – have their strategies, while for a common goal, they stand united on the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) platform. “PDM will decide its plan of action, and no one will interfere with it,” she said.