LHC tells NAB: Give Maryam 10-day notice before arrest

LAHORE: No warrant for the arrest of PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz had been issued so far in an inquiry of alleged illegal acquisition of land in Jati Umra, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday informed the Lahore High Court on Monday.

Headed by Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, a two-judge bench, heard Maryam’s petition for pre-arrest bail already granted to her in the inquiry. Maryum was present in the court with her legal team and some party leaders.

NAB’s special prosecutor told the bench the chairman of the bureau had not issued the arrest warrant for Maryum so her custody was not yet required. In light of the prosecutor’s submission, the bench disposed of the petition and directed the NAB to give the petitioner ten-day time, as per a Supreme Court’s decision, for approaching the court if her arrest warrant was to be issued.

The LHC had granted the pre-arrest bail to Ms Nawaz on March 24 when she was summoned by the NAB for March 26. However, the NAB cancelled her appearance in the wake of increasing cases of coronavirus.

Talking to the media, Maryum alleged the NAB was an institution of ‘political engineering’ that acted on the instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan against his political opponents. However, she said the ‘unholy alliance’ of the prime minister and the NAB was weakening and nobody was ready to believe them. She said the NAB had wanted to arrest her on the day of opposition’s long march, now postponed.

She asked the prime minister whether Jahangir Tareen Khan was not a ‘sugar mafia’ when the former used to enjoy the latter's plane and money. Maryum said the PDM would remain intact with the available members. She said PDM’s chief Maulana Fazalur Rehman would respond to the letter of PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.