Pakistan: National Acco­u­ntability Bureau set to reopen three cases against Nawaz Sharif

Islamabad [Pakistan], September 28 : The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is set to reopen three cases against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif related to alleged illegal plot allotments and land acquisitions in Lahore and a questionable share transfer in Chaudhry Sugar Mills, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. The development comes less than a month before arrival of Nawaz Sharif in Pakistan. 

NAB's decision is based on a recent Supreme Court decision that struck down amendments to the accountability law by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government, Dawn reported citing sources. Sharif has been residing in the UK since November 2019.

In one of the cases from 1986, Sharif while serving as Punjab's Chief Minister, allegedly misused his position to allot plots in Allama Iqbal Town and Gulberg areas of Lahore. Another accusation is from 1998 on the alleged unlawful construction of a road from the Adda Plot to his residence in Lahore.

The third case against Nawaz Sharif is related to the disputed share transfers in Chaudhry Sugar Mills, owned by Nawaz Sharif and his family.

As these cases are being opened against Nawaz Sharif, the PML-N leaders held a meeting chaired by PML-N chief organiser Maryam Nawaz Sharif at Jati Umra on Wednesday. Several leaders from the Nawaz camp, including Pervaiz Rashid, Javed Latif, Rana Sanullah, Mohsin Ranjha and Marriyum Aurangzeb attended the meeting, according to Dawn report. 

"The participants briefed Ms Nawaz, who returned from London a day before, over the party’s preparations regarding the arrival of the elder Sharif. Mr Sharif would go to Minar-i-Pakistan by road after landing at the Lahore airport and make a public speech,” Dawn quoted a source as saying. 

During the meeting, the leaders discussed the PML-N plan to gather a large number of people for Nawaz Sharif’s reception at Minar-i-Pakistan. PML-N has divided Punjab into nine divisions and appointed Ahsan Iqbal, Khurram Dastgir, Saad Rafique, Attaullah Tarar, Javed Latif, Awais Leghari, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Saud Majid, Malik Ahmad Khan, Musadik Malik, Hanif Abbasi and Sheikh Aftab as coordinators.

Each coordinator has been given a task of bringing 100,000 people to the Minar-i-Pakistan on Sharif’s arrival. A party source said that Maryam Nawaz has asked the participants to give her a complete report on meeting the set target in the next huddle on September 30, according to Dawn report. The PML-N also refuted reports that Nawaz Sharif might not come on October 21. 

Last week, former Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that he had come to London to discuss the legal and political steps ahead of the arrival of his brother and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, Geo News reported.

He further stated that there is no change in plan for Nawaz Sharif’s arrival in Pakistan on October 21.In London, he held an important talk at the meeting, which was attended by Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Ishaq Dar, Talal Chaudhary and others in London, Geo News reported. 

Speaking to reporters in London, Shehbaz Sharif said, "Nawaz Sharif will return to a resounding welcome in Lahore and then address the nation at a rally at Minar-e-Pakistan where he will present the party's plan to tackle poverty, and unemployment and improve the economic situation. He will present the agenda of progress and success. Nawaz Sharif is the leader who took Pakistan to the path of progress and hope before, and delivered for the masses and will do so again."

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