ISLAMABAD – An accountability court has allowed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to investigate former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for alleged misuse of vehicles purchased for a moot.
The accountability watchdog has been allowed to grill the former premier for alleged misuse of vehicles purchased for South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) conference.
In its application, anti-graft body alleged that the previous government purchased 34 bulletproof vehicles from Germany without paying import duties for the guests of the Saarc conference adding that these vehicles were being used by Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz; the bulletproof vehicles in question were purchased in 2016.
During the hearing, NAB informed the court that statements of former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former principal secretary to the prime minister Fawad Hassan Fawad and others had already been recorded, however, court permission was needed to question Nawaz Sharif inside the jail in this matter.
Following the arguments, Judge Mohammad Arshad Malik of the accountability court granted the permission to NAB to interrogate the ex-premier in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail.
Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued notices to NAB and the superintendent of Kot Lakhpat jail and admitted a petition seeking suspension of the sentence handed down to Nawaz Sharif.
The IHC division bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani took up the ex-premier’s petition seeking release from jail on medical grounds while Khawaja Haris presented arguments on behalf of the supreme leader of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz.
The former premier is serving a seven-year prison term at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail since December 24, 2018 in Al-Azizia reference filed by the accountability watchdog.
