Pakistan

LHC grants NAB more time to return Maryam’s passport

Anti-corruption watchdog was to submit reply on Dec 16 but failed to do so

Rana Yasif December 16, 2019

PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz. PHOTO: AFP

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday granted the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) one week to submit a reply over its failure in returning PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz’s passport.

Maryam had filed a civil miscellaneous application in the court seeking directions for the anti-corruption watchdog to return her passport for six weeks such that she could visit her ailing father, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif abroad. The reply was to be submitted by the bureau on December 16 but it failed to do so.

On November 4, the LHC granted bail to Maryam, who was arrested in August on suspicion of money laundering in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case, against two surety bonds worth Rs10 million each, and an additional Rs70 million. She was also ordered to surrender her passport to secure her release.

A division bench, headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, heard Maryam’s application for the return of her passport.

During the proceedings, Justice Najafi asked the NAB prosecutor about the submission of the reply.

The prosecutor requested the court to grant more time for filing the reply.

Justice Najafi fixed December 24 for submission of the reply.

Petitioner Maryam had sought one-time permission to go abroad to look after her ailing father and removal of her name from the Exit Control List (ECL).

She implored the court that her father “is much dependent upon me and has special association, love and affection for me”. She requested the court to direct the deputy registrar (judicial) to return her passport and also sought directions for the concerned quarter to remove her name from the ECL.

Maryam said her mother Kulsoom Nawaz had expired leaving the petitioner and her father in grief and everlasting guilt for not being by her side when she was on her deathbed.

She made the federal government, FIA (Immigration) director, NAB chairman, and others respondents in her petition filed under Article 199 of the Constitution.