Judicial remand of Maryam, Yousaf extended by a fortnight

PML-N vice president says PTI government will soon meet a befitting end

LAHORE: An accountability court on Wednesday granted a two-week extension in the judicial remand of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz and her cousin, Yousaf Abbas Sharif, in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case.

Before granting the extension, accountability court judge Jawadul Hasan asked the National Accountability Court (NAB) prosecutor to set a date for filing a reference against the accused.

Maryam nabbed in sugar mill case

The prosecutor said investigations against the PML-N vice president and her cousin were still ongoing and a reference would be filed as soon as the process concludes.

The judge accepted the NAB official's reply and granted an extension in the remand period. Maryam and Yousuf will now be presented in court on October 23.

Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom, the PML-N vice president did not explicitly voice support for the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl's (JUI-F) planned 'Azadi March' in Islamabad.

"This [Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf] government came to power through rigged elections; it has no legitimacy and it will soon meet a befitting end," she said in reply to a question about Maulana Fazlur Rehman's ambitions to topple Imran Khan's government.

Maryam and Yousaf have been in custody since August in connection with the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case. The government has accused the Sharif family of using the business for money laundering and availing millions of rupees in subsidy without actually exporting sugar.