Maryam Nawaz fails to give satisfactory answers in NAB appearance

ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI: Earlier today the Vice President of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Maryam Nawaz Sharif made an appearance at the NAB headquarters on a prior summon in her name in relation to a corruption probe involving Chaudhry Sugar Mills, ARY News reported.

It was revealed by a source that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was not satisfied with the answers provided to their queries by the PML-N stalwart.

Sources also revealed that Maryam tried to lead the inquiry officials astray with unneeded information and no clarity in the answers she provided, the sitting continued for 45 minutes.

Maryam was handed a questionnaire by the bureau and was asked to appear again on August 8.

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had summoned the nephew of deposed former Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Abdul Aziz Abbas in relation to the ongoing inquiry in Chaudhry Sugar Mills Case.

Sources close to the anti-graft body unveiled the questions asked and the inquiry held against the vice president of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

Information was sought on the shareholders of the aforementioned Chaudhry Sugar Mills.

The Bureau also inquired about how and where the shares were divided since the inception of the mill in 1985.

NAB also inquired about 4 foreign shareholders of the mill, sources claimed.

The shareholders namely included UAE’s Saeed Saif Bin Jabbar Al-Saudi, UK’s Sheikh Zaka-Uddin, A Saudi by the name of Hayi Ahmed and UAE’s Naseer Abdullah.

Questions were also asked about Shamim Sugar Mills and the investment details of the mill.

Telegraphic Transfer (TT) details are also being sought by those being questioned, the sources further revealed.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on July 24 issued summons in the names of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) vice-president, Maryam Nawaz and her brothers Hassan and Hussain Nawaz.

The anti-graft watchdog has called upon the siblings on July 31 (today) for questioning on allegations against them pertaining to corrupt and fraudulent practices.

Currently jailed former Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s nephew Abdul Aziz has also been summoned.

All those summoned for questioning are being told to be shareholders in Chaudhry Sugar Mills and are accused of laundering money and possessing assets beyond known sources of their income.

Earlier The Lahore High Court (LHC) was informed yesterday (Tuesday) that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Mashood’s name was placed on a blacklist on a request by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to prevent him from fleeing abroad.

The Ministry of Interior submitted its reply in the LHC on a petition pertaining to the PML-N leader being blacklisted over his alleged involvement in a corruption case.

It stated Mashood was blacklisted on the corruption watchdog’s request on June 21 this year as it apprehended he might flee abroad.

Earlier, on June 29, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had barred the former Punjab Education and Sports minister from flying abroad at Lahore airport.

Rana Mashood was offloaded from a private airline’s aircraft by immigration officers of FIA at 2 am because of his name being on the blacklist over his involvement in the alleged embezzlement of funds of the Punjab Youth Festival. He was to fly to the United States.

The NAB has launched a probe into alleged misappropriation of millions of rupees of the Punjab Youth Festival in 2011 and 2012.