Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif arrested in Chaudhry Sugar Mills case
Pakistan’s former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was on Friday arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in Chaudhry Sugar Mills case. After arresting Sharif from Kot Lakhpat Jail, the NAB team took him to the accountability court where it will seek his remand for interrogation in the case.
Hundreds of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leaders and workers thronged the court as Sharif was produced before the judge. While the NAB argued for a 15-day remand, Sharif’s lawyer countered it by claiming was never involved with Chaudhry Sugar Mills.
“This is not the first time that Nawaz Sharif’s assets are under scrutiny,” Dawn News quoted Sharif’s lawyer Amjad Pervez as saying.
The arrest warrant against Sharif was issued by NAB Chairperson Justice (retired) Javed Iqbal on October 4, 2019, reported Pakistan’s ARY News. The former prime minister was arrested after NAB claimed that he was not cooperating with the investigators in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case.
Sharif and his family members have been accused of using Chaudhry Sugar Mills for money-laundering and of indulging in illegal transfer of the company’s shares. According to the investigators, a loan of $15 million was to set up the mill. However, the mill was already functioning even before the loan was taken. Moreover, the amount of $15 million was never transferred to Pakistan according to the State Bank of Pakistan.
His daughter Maryam is also accused in the case along with her cousin Yousuf Abbas. Maryam allegedly took over 12 million shares in the sugar mills. She was arrested in August.
Convicted in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case, Sharif is already serving a seven-year jail term.
