Notices to NAB, others on Yousaf Abbas bail plea

LAHORE: A division bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday issued notices to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and others on the bail petition of Yousaf Abbas Sharif in Chaudhry Sugar Mills money laundering case.

Bench headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi heard the petition and sought reply of the NAB officials on December 16. Yousaf Abbas has made the NAB Chairman, Director General NAB Lahore and the investigation officer as party in his petition.

Yousaf Abbas pleaded that Sharifs were a business family and believed in the rule of law. The NAB arrested him in Chaudhry Sugar Mills money laundering inquiry but presented no evidence against him, the petition said. “The petitioner was detained on 48 days physical remand but nothing produced against him.”

The NAB alleged Rs410 million money laundering but all transactions were on record and the money arrived in Pakistan via the banking channels with taxes paid on it. In this case, Maryam Nawaz has already been granted bail by the court with a condition of surrendering her passport.

The NAB had arrested Ms Nawaz and Abbas on August 8 from Kot Lakhpat Jail where they went to meet Nawaz Sharif. They underwent physical remand with the NAB for 49 days and were sent on judicial remand on September 25.