Maryam, Yousaf Abbas's judicial remands extended, case declared sub judice

LAHORE: An accountability court on Friday extended physical remands of PMLN’s Maryam Nawaz and her cousin Yousaf Abbas by 14 days (November 8), in a case pertaining to Chaudhry Sugar Mills.

Presenting his arguments in the ongoing inquiry, the prosecutor of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) demanded that the court enforce a blanket ban on television discussions on the matter along with prohibition of pictures and videos being taken of the courtroom and case proceedings.

The accountability court upheld the demand of the anti-graft watchdog and declared the matter sub judice.

The court issued directives to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to ensure that the case was not discussed on electronic media platforms, media discussions on the matter would henceforth be deemed unlawful till the matter was under consideration in the court.

Chaudhry Sugar Mills case

In a press conference, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar had said the Sharif Family had used Chaudhry Sugar Mills for money-laundering and illegal transfer of its shares.

During the probe, 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. He had added 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.