LAHORE (MNN); An accountability court on Monday approved the closure of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) investigation in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case against Maryam Nawaz, Punjab Chief Minister, and her father, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The case involved alleged money laundering and income beyond declared means through dubious business dealings of Chaudhry Sugar Mills, in which Maryam Nawaz was a major shareholder.
Judge Rana Arif announced the decision to close the investigation following a plea filed by NAB-Lahore. The court had last week heard arguments from the counsels of Maryam Nawaz and Nawaz Sharif regarding NAB’s application for closure.
Judge Arif observed that NAB’s decision to close the investigation was in line with the law. He also noted that Maryam Nawaz could withdraw her surety bond of Rs70 million, which she had deposited for post-arrest bail in the case.
Earlier, NAB and the Punjab CM’s legal teams had presented their arguments before the court. According to NAB, the Lahore High Court had directed the bureau to submit a termination report to the accountability court to formally close the investigation.
Maryam Nawaz had been arrested by NAB on August 8, 2019, during a visit to her father in Kot Lakhpat Jail, along with her daughter and cousin Yousaf Abbas. She was granted post-arrest bail by the LHC on November 4, 2019, after depositing Rs70 million as a surety and surrendering her passport. In October 2022, the LHC returned her passport after NAB stated it no longer required the travel document.
