ISLAMABAD: Maryam Nawaz, daughter of Nawaz Sharif, and her husband, Captain (retd) Safdar, have been ordered to appear before an accountability court on Monday where they will be expected to be provided referenced copies filed against them by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Responsible for hearing corruption cases against the Sharif family, the accountability court is also likely to fix a date for purposes of indicting the accused. Around 1000 police and Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel will be stationed for security during the hearing.
Previously, on October 2, Judge Mohammad Bashir issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Safdar, Hussain and Hasan, while bailable warrants were issued for Maryam.
Captain (retd) Safdar arrested by NAB
NAB officials arrested Captain (retd) Safdar, son-in-law of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, from outside the Islamabad airport, soon after he made his way back from London with his wife Maryam Nawaz late Sunday.
A six-member NAB team waited outside Rawal lounge of the airport to greet Capt (retd) Safdar with news of the arrest, as they were stopped by airport authorities from entering the lounge.
Maryam, left the airport premises alone, and shortly after, arrived at the residence of Chaudhry Muneer – her daughter’s father-in-law.
Amongst PML-N leaders present at the airport were Asif Kirmani, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Marvi Memon, Maiza Hameed and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry.
PML-N activists protested against the arrest of Captain (retd) Safdar, chanting slogans in favour of the party leadership, keeping the way for the vehicle, in which Safdar was escorted to NAB’s regional office in Islamabad. While raged activists thumped the vehicle repeatedly, there were a few who also laid down before it.
Safdar will remain under NAB custody until he is presented before the accountability court on Monday morning.
Nawaz has been appearing before the court ever since proceedings began. However, at present the former premier is in London to spend time with his wife, Kulsoom, undergoing treatment for lymphoma.
It is unclear when Nawaz will return. The court is yet to give a decision on his plea for exemption from appearance.
Earlier, before leaving for Heathrow Airport, Maryam said that the so-called accountability process as exposed to the world (corruption cases), is not for justice but for revenge.
Maryam and Safdar face a corruption reference that relates to the Sharif family’s Avenfield properties in London. The other two references against them relate to Azizia Steel Mills and offshore companies.
If convicted, the accused may face up to 14 years imprisonment along with lifelong disqualification from holding public office, freezing of bank accounts as well as assets.
