LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday (today) barred the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from arresting Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Vice-president, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
The PML-N leader had moved the LHC for interim bail ahead of her NAB hearing and the request has been approved by the court. A two-member bench heard the plea and directed the anti-graft body to not detain Maryam Nawaz till April 12.
Muhammad Safdar, Rana Sanaullah and Pervaiz Rashid were present with Maryam Nawaz in the courtroom.
It is pertinent here to mention that Maryam Nawaz has been summoned by NAB on March 26 in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills and illegal land transfer cases. The PML-N leader challenged the NAB notices.
NAB spokesperson told that Sharif family is accused of illegally acquiring over 3000 kanals of land in 2013 and of changing the Lahore Master Plan in 2015 with the help of the then DCO Noorul Amin Mengal and LDA DG Ahad Khan Cheema.
It has further been alleged that Sharif family, with the connivance of officials, got thousands of kanals in Jati Umrah declared as green land. The NAB notice directed Maryam Nawaz to bring all required records with her on March 26.
On the other hand, the Punjab government Tuesday approved the NAB request to declare its Lahore office as red zone on March 25 and 26 due to Maryam Nawaz’s hearing.
The provincial regime approved to appoint Rangers and police around the accountability bureau office, and a letter had been written to the Ministry of Interior seeking the Rangers’ services in this regard.
Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat said no one will be allowed to violate the law and strict action will be taken against those who breach the law and order situation or the coronavirus standard operating procedures (SOPs).
The anti-graft body had sought help from the Punjab government after reports of a possible attack from workers of some political parties at its Lahore office building on March 26.
Read more: Maryam Nawaz seeks pre-arrest bail before NAB appearance
