Maryam Nawaz
Maryam Nawaz, the Chief Minister of Punjab, has been in the news lately due to the Chaudhry Sugar Mills scandal. The case against her pertains to alleged money laundering and income beyond means via ‘dubious’ business transactions of the Chaudhry Sugar Mills, of which Maryam was a major shareholder.
The Lahore High Court (LHC) has directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to move the trial court concerned after the anti-graft body decided to close the inquiry. The LHC has also questioned the investigation process and the procedure adopted in the case.
A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Aalia Neelum and including Justices Muhammad Jawad Zafar and Abher Gul Khan, heard CM Maryam’s civil miscellaneous application seeking the refund of Rs70 million deposited as a guarantee in the case.
During the proceedings, the NAB’s prosecutor informed the bench that following the new amendments, the bureau’s chairman had approved the closure of the probe. However, the LHC observed that the NAB should have approached the accountability court concerned for closure of the inquiry.
The LHC has directed the NAB to approach the relevant accountability court within one month for the formal closure of the Chaudhry Sugar Mills inquiry. This decision has sparked a lot of debate and speculation about the future of the case and the implications for Maryam Nawaz.
The Chaudhry Sugar Mills Scandal: A Timeline
The Chaudhry Sugar Mills scandal involves alleged money laundering and income beyond means via ‘dubious’ business transactions of the Chaudhry Sugar Mills, of which Maryam was a major shareholder. Here’s a brief timeline of the key events in the case:
Aug 8, 2019: A NAB team had arrested Maryam in connection with the case when she was present at the Kot Lakhpat jail on her weekly visit to her incarcerated father Nawaz.
Nov 4, 2019: The LHC released Maryam in the sugar mills case on bail, subject to surrendering her passport to the court. She was also ordered to deposit a surety amount of Rs70m with the registrar judicial of the court.
October 2022: The LHC directed officials to return the passport to Maryam after the NAB said it did not require the travel document anymore.
Source: Dawn