Judge irked by people taking selfies with Maryam; remand extended by 14 days

LAHORE: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) presented Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz before the court in connection with Chaudhry Sugar Mill case, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

As per details, Maryam and her cousin Yousuf Abbas, who is also accused in the case, were brought to an accountability court of Lahore as their judicial remands were expired today.

The accountability court extended the judicial remand of both the accused for another 14 days.

As the hearing went underway, Accountability Judge Jawwad-ul-Hasan Chaudhry expressed displeasure over people taking selfies with Maryam Nawaz inside the courtroom. He ordered everyone to switch off their phones.

Later, Maryam’s legal counsels sought permission to meet her in the court’s side room, to which, the accountability judge asked the lawyers to ensure the presence of no irrelevant person during the meeting.

However, irrelevant persons did make their way to the meeting between Maryam and her lawyers. Judge Jawwad-ul-Hasan Chaudhry was extremely furious over the incident.

The NAB officials apprised the court regarding the preparation of the reference against Maryam Nawaz in the Chaudhry Sugar Mill case.

On the occasion, a large contingent of female police officers was deployed around the judicial complex.

Case Background

As per Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar the Sharif Family had used Chaudhry Sugar Mills for money-laundering and illegal transfer of its shares. It was revealed that a $15 million loan was taken on the pretext to set up the mill despite the fact that it had already been established before the loan was acquired, the special assistant claimed, adding that the loan was never transferred to Pakistan as shown by the record of the State Bank of Pakistan.

He had said more than Rs7 million worth of shares were transferred to PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz in 2008 through mill’s shares, which were later transferred to Yousaf Abbas Sharif in 2010.