Anti-graft body informs court that investigation against Nawaz and Maryam shows no evidence to support charges
Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. Photo: Archive
LAHORE:
An accountability court on Monday approved closure of a National Accountability Bureau probe against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case.
Accountability court judge Rana Muhammad Arif announced the decision while hearing an application filed by the NAB seeking formal approval to end the investigation.
In its plea, the anti-graft body informed the court that the investigation into the corruption allegations against Nawaz and Maryam had already been completed and there was no evidence to support the charges.
The office asked the court to grant final approval to close the investigation in accordance with legal requirements, which the court agreed to. During the proceedings, Maryam Nawaz’s lawyer presented arguments supporting the application.
The NAB prosecutor told the court that the investigation into the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case against both leaders had already concluded.
The case concerned allegations of laundering money and assets beyond known sources of income through alleged irregular business transactions involving the sugar mill, in which Maryam Nawaz had previously been reported to be a major shareholder.
Interestingly, following the accountability order, NAB appealed to the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), asking it to set aside the LHC order of February 4, 2026.
The NAB launched an investigation against Chaudhry Sugar Mills on November 14, 2018. During the investigation, Maryam Nawaz, who is now serving as Punjab Chief Minister, was arrested on August 8, 2019 and remanded for 48 days.
He later filed a post-arrest bail petition before the LHC. On October 31, 2019, the court granted him bail on two sureties of Rs 10 million each and ordered him to deposit Rs 70 million and produce his passport before the judicial registrar.
NAB challenged the grant of bail before the Supreme Court, but the petition was dismissed on August 22, 2023, after it was withdrawn. Following the amendments to the NAB law, the NAB investigation officer concluded that no case of corruption or corrupt practices had been uncovered.
Based on this conclusion, the NAB Executive Board decided on April 3, 2024 to withdraw the proceedings under Section 31B(1) of the NAB Ordinance.
Following the closure of the proceedings, Maryam filed a miscellaneous application before the LHC seeking the return of Rs 70 million deposited as part of her bail conditions.
On February 4, 2024, the LHC ruled that the case could only be formally closed with the approval of the accountability court and directed the Lahore accountability court to decide the matter within a month.
In its appeal, the NAB maintains that once the NAB chairman approved the withdrawal of the investigation, the high court had no authority to interpret the law in a way that would impose additional judicial approval.
It maintains that when a case is withdrawn at the investigation stage, the accountability court has no judicial authority over the matter. It says that if the law does not require judicial approval to withdraw an investigation, such a requirement cannot be introduced by a court decision.
The NAB further maintains that the LHC issued its February 4 ruling without notifying the Attorney General and that the court exceeded its jurisdiction by taking suo motu cognizance of the matter. It asks the FCC to declare the February 4 ruling null and void.
(WITH INPUTS FROM JEHANZEB ABBASI OF ISLAMABAD)
