Pakistan Court Issues Notice To Anti-Graft Body On Maryam Nawaz's Petition

A Pakistani court on Tuesday issued a notice to anti-graft body on a petition filed by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz challenging her arrest in money laundering case. A two-member Lahore High Court bench comprising Justice Ali Baqar Najafi and Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem directed a special prosecutor of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to submit a reply to the petition on October 14. 

Maryam's counsel Advocate Amjad Pervez said the NAB had no jurisdiction to investigate matter relating to sale/purchase of Chaudhry Sugar Mills (CSM)' shares after amendments in laws unless referred by Security & Exchange Commission of Pakistan.He said all properties of the Sharif family, its business concerns and companies including the CSM had already been thoroughly investigated by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed by the Supreme Court in Panama Papers case. 

The counsel also questioned the jurisdiction of the bureau's chairman for approving the impugned inquiry under Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010. 

The NAB has accused 45-year-old Maryam of committing money laundering through investments of variable heavy amounts being main shareholder of CSM. It said she was involved in money laundering with the help of some foreigners during the period of 1992-93 when her father was the prime minister. 

Last week, Maryam was sent to Kot Lakhpat jail Lahore on judicial remand in this case. Her father is also in the same jail where he is serving a seven-year imprisonment in Al-Azizia Mills corruption case.The NAB on August 8 had arrested Maryam, the vice-president of PML-N, in money laundering case. She was appointed on the post by the party in May. 

Maryam was sentenced to seven years in jail on July 2018 in connection with the case that pertains to the ownership of the Sharif family's posh apartments at Avenfield House, London. The sentence was, however, suspended by the Islamabad High Court. 

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