ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore office and surrounding areas have been declared as a ‘Red Zone’ besides deploying police and rangers to protect it from the planned attack of the opposition parties’ goons during the hearing of two inquiries of Maryam Nawaz on March 26.
Quoting media reports that the workers of opposition parties and some corruption suspects were planning vandalism at the NAB Lahore office during the hearing of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz in connection with her two inquiries in NAB, a NAB spokesman said effective steps were being taken to provide foolproof security to NAB Lahore building.
NAB would continue playing its due role for the recovery of looted amount sans caring about browbeating, intimidation or duress by some suspects, the spokesperson added.
Earlier, PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah has asked the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) not to “put obstacles” in the way of PML-N workers who plan to accompany the party Vice President Maryam Nawaz during her hearing on March 26.
“Our workers should not be stopped. When they (NAB) have summoned PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz then they should show courage [and] allow people to gather there to express solidarity with her and not put any obstacles in the way,” he said while addressing the media in Lahore.
He pointed out that the last time the PML-N VP had gone to the anti-graft body, the office had been sealed up to a kilometre from all sides, and stressed that this mistake should not be repeated.
Furthermore, he stressed that the notice issued to Maryam was “illegal” and “unconstitutional” and should be withdrawn. The PML-N Punjab president maintained that the workers reserve the right to protest if Maryam was arrested in the illegal inquiry.
On the other hand, he added: “I take responsibility that none of our workers will resort to any sort of violence […] We will gather there to express solidarity with our leader in a peaceful manner.”
A day earlier, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief and head of the opposition alliance Fazlur Rehman had said that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) would be present during Maryam Nawaz’s hearing on March 26 with the NAB in a show of solidarity.
“The apparent reasons cited by NAB have exposed the bureau for the puppet institution it is. It has approached the court for cancellation of [Maryam’s] bail on the basis that she speaks against institutions.
“So the institution has been formed not to combat corruption but to serve other institutions,” he had said.
Fazl had maintained that the workers of the PDM will number in the thousands. Furthermore, he shot down any rumours of a rift within the alliance after the appointment of Yousaf Raza Gillani was appointed as the leader of the opposition in the Senate.
“PDM is not only united, through mutual consultations we have matters under control. We all have to move ahead forward. The nine parties that have a particular ideology will request the PPP to respect their viewpoint,” he had said.
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday last had rejected NAB’s plea for the cancellation of PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz’s bail.
The order was issued by a two-member bench in response to the anti-graft body’s application in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case.
The court had said that the PML-N VP’s bail cannot be suspended immediately. The written order had also noted that NAB claimed that Maryam did not appear before it despite repeated summons.
The court had directed the federal home secretary to file a detailed reply to the anti-corruption body’s request by April 7.
Reports citing sources suggested the anti-graft body has unearthed new evidence in the case which prompted it to serve a summon on PML-N VP.
Maryam last appeared before the agency in August when her supporters and PML-N activists attacked the NAB offices in Lahore. Following the violent episode, the hearing was postponed.
Earlier, it had approached the LHC for the cancellation of Maryam’s bail, saying the suspect was taking “undue benefit” of her bail and is not cooperating with the agency despite being offered a reprieve.
Maryam — who was arrested in August 2019 in the case — was granted bail in November 2019 but was directed to surrender her passport as the prosecution feared she might flee the country.
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.
The agency informed the court that the PML-N vice president had not been able to give satisfactory answers to its inquiries regarding her shares in the mills. She was also unable to explain how she attained the funds to establish Shamim Sugar Mills, it said.
It further said that Maryam had not filed her tax returns for many years and was suspected of being in possession of assets beyond known means.
