NAB to also probe Maryam in Safdar’s assets beyond means case

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has decided to include Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz in the assets beyond means probe against Captain (retd) Safdar, it emerged on Monday.

The Lahore division of the top anti-graft watchdog made the decision after it "found important leads in the case".

According to the authority, Maryam has been found to be the owner of the benami properties bought by Safdar, her husband.

Maryam, also the daughter of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, has properties of hundreds of acres in her name in Raiwind and other areas of Punjab.

NAB's documents suggest that details have also been sought regarding Safdar's sources of earning.

Read Reinvestigation ordered in Capt Safdar case

Sources in the bureau said that its Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa division received reports about him in 2020, saying the cases were moved to Lahore as majority of his properties were found to be in the provincial capital.

Captain (retd) Safdar has been facing the probe for around two years over the possession of assets that are allegedly disproportionate to his known sources income, a crime under the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999.

The executive board of the anti-graft watchdog had given the nod for the probe in 2018 after a complaint was sent to it by a citizen.

According to the complainant, Safdar owned 300 kanals of land, a 30 kanals plot, a one kanal house, a flour mills and other properties in Mansehra.