NAB personnel collar capt (r) Safdar from Islamabad airport

RAWALPINDI: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) personnel have arrested captain (retd) Safdar from Islamabad airport upon his arrival from London on late Sunday night, ARY News reported.

A final decision regarding his arrest was taken after consultation with the chairman NAB. He would be now shifted to a special cell at NAB headquarters in Islamabad from where he would be escorted to the accountability court on Monday morning for hearing of graft reference against him.

Sources said NAB had written to Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq, to fulfill the formality, informing him about their decision.

Special NAB team had reached the airport hours before the flight’s arrival and waited for him outside the Rawal lounge.

Safdar was accompanied by his spouse, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz, when their flight landed at Benazir Bhutto International Airport.

Maryam Nawaz, before departing for Punjab House alone, confirmed arrest of her husband.

A number of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders and scores of PML-N workers were present at the airport. The workers protested against the arrest and tried to stop the vehicle in which Safdar was being boarded.

Maryam and Safdar were subpoenaed time and again by the accountability court in a graft reference filed by the NAB in compliance with the Supreme Court orders.

Read More: Captain Safdar files reply in SC

On October 2, the court issued ‘non-bailable arrest warrants’ for ex-PM’s three children – Maryam, Hussain, and Hassan Nawaz – and son-in-law captain (retd) Safdar over their perpetual absence during the court proceedings.

They had also been directed to submit surety bonds worth Rs1 million each.

After supervising a successful NA-120 by-election campaign for her mother and PML-N candidate Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, Maryam with her spouse had departed for London on Sept 18 – just a day after PML-N won back NA-120 seat – to see her ailing mother.

On the flip side, Hassan and Hussain Nawaz, will skip the court hearing on Monday.

Non-bailable warrants for Sharif’s children

In the last hearing on Oct 2, Nawaz Sharif showed up for the second time before an accountability court in graft references filed against him by the NAB in compliance with Supreme Court orders.

At the outset, Judge Muhammad Bashir asked where the Sharif’s children are. To which, former prime minister’s counsel said they are still in London, tending their ailing mother and requested the judge to grant them exemption from court proceedings.

NAB prosecutor submitted an implementation report, informing the judge that the warrants were duly served on the accused persons. He requested the court to issue non-bailable warrants for their arrest over their failure to turn up before it in defiance of the court orders.