Pakistani court extends 14-day physical remand of Maryam in corruption case

Tariq Butt, Staff Reporter 

An accountability court in Lahore on Wednesday granted the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) a 14-day extension in the physical remand of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President and daughter of incarcerated former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Maryam, and her cousin Yousuf Abbas in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills (CSM) case.

Earlier, the two had been remanded into NAB custody following their arrest on Aug.8.

Amid strict security arrangements, the duo was presented in the court, where judge Naeem Arshad heard NAB's request for a 15-day extension in their physical remand.

NAB's lawyer said that the investigations with Maryam had not yet been completed and requested an extension in remand for that purpose.

In response, Maryam's lawyer Amjad Pervez said that the investigation had been carried out in all cases and the trial had been completed.

The judge expressed displeasure at selfies being taken with the PML-N leader in the courtroom. The court also experienced a power outage during the proceedings. The noise created by party workers affected the hearing, following which the judge left the courtroom and went to his chambers. Proceedings were temporarily adjourned.

As proceedings resumed, the judge granted NAB 14-day physical remand and ordered that the two be presented before it on Sept.4.

Ahead of their court appearance, strict security arrangements were made. Containers and barbed wires were used to close routes towards the judicial complex and a large contingent of female police were stationed inside and outside the court.

Various PML-N leaders including Khurram Dastgir, Hina Pervez Butt, Saiful Malook Khokhar, Barjees Tahir, Parvaiz Rasheed, Muhammad Zubair, Nehal Hashmi and Rana Muhammad Iqbal also arrived at the accountability court.

Maryam's husband Capt (retd) Mohammad Safdar Awan and son Junaid Safdar were also in the courtroom. Awan had a scuffle with policemen over their treatment to the PML-N workers.

Maryam had appeared before NAB on July 31 to record her statement in the CSM reference. The statement was regarding ‘dubious’ business transactions of the CSM of which she was one of the major shareholders.