NAB Arrests Nawaz Sharif in Chaudhry Sugar Mills Case

By Our Correspondent

Lahore, Oct 11: Accountability Court gave physical remand of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Friday for investigations in Chaudhry Sugar Mills money laundering case.

Talking to journalist during the hearing, the incarcerated former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced support for the protest march of JUIF Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

The protest march by JUIF is aimed at toppling the one year old government of PTI led by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The NAB prosecutor told the Accountability Court that Mian Nawaz Sharif held 43 million shares of  Chaudhry Sugar  Mills when it was formed in 1992. NAB prosecutor claimed that money was transfered in the accounts of Chaudhry Sugar Mills through the accounts of an offshore company. He also told the Court that Nawaz Sharif misused his position as a public office holder to enrich himself.  Arguing for physical custody of Nawaz Sharif, NAB prosecutor told the Court that Chaudhry Sugar Mills was formed when Nawaz Sharif was Prime Minister of Pakistan. Nawaz Sharif held the shares in the name of his children, who were minor at that time, NAB prosecutor told the court.

Sharing a damning piece of information with the Court, NAB prosecutor said a foreign company transferred millions of rupees to Nawaz Sharif in 1991 which enabled him to form Chaudhry Sugar Mills in 1992 without disclosing the source of investment.

The prosecutor said NAB wanted to further investigate Nawaz Sharif about money laundering in the case.

However, Nawaz Sharif’s lawyer Amjad Pervez denied the allegations and said the case against Nawaz Sharif was politically motivated.

He informed the Court that Nawaz Sharif was  never a director or shareholder of Chaudhry Sugar Mills. He told the Court that all assets of Nawaz Sharif were probed by JIT formed in Panama case and all assets of the former prime minister were legal.

The Accountability Court gave fourteen days physical remand of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to NAB accepting the Accountability Bureau plea that the accused was not cooperating in investigations which the Bureau tried to do in Kot Lakhpat Jail Lahore.

Earlier, an order issued on Thursday by Administrative Judge of Accountability Court Lahore, Ch Ameer Muhammad Khan read as follows:

“The NAB application for physical remand was appended with the warrant of arrest issued by Chairman NAB bearing No.6(8)2712 Dir CN Sectt-NAB/2019 dated 04 October, 2019 containing direction of arrest of Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif a convict confined in Central Jail, Lahore in connection with the allegation of corruption and corrupt practices under the NAB Ordinance, 1999 and read with Section 3 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010.

The grounds of arrest alongwith the letter of authorization bearing No. I (9)1IQ/2023/NAB-L dated 14.11.2018 are appended herewith the application.

The I.O is directed to proceed to the Superintendent Central Jail, Lahore, produce the warrants, the grounds of arrest to him and then proceed under Section 24 of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999.

The Investigating Officer shall be bound as per Section 24 of the National Accountability Ordinance and shall strictly proceed in accordance with Section 24(d) of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999 which is reproduced as  under:-

“Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code, where the holder of a public office or any other person accused of an offence is arrested by NAB under this Ordinance, NAB shall, as soon as may be, inform him of the grounds and substance on the basis of which he has been arrested and produce him before the [Court within a period of twenty-four hours of arrest excluding the time necessary for the journey from the place of arrest to the [Court] and such person shall, having regard to the facts and circumstances of the cases, be liable to be detained in the custody of NAB for the purpose of inquiry and investigation for a period not exceeding ninety days [, and the Court may remand an accused person to custody not exceeding fifteen days at a time and for every subsequent remand the Court shall record reasons in writing copy of which shall be sent to the High Court.]]”

The Superintendent Central Jail, Lahore shall facilitate the Investigating Officer in accordance with law and rules for arrest of the accused Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in the inquiry No.1(9)HQ/2023/NAB-L dated 14.11.2018 in accordance with the direction of arrest issued from the Chairman NAB.