LHC disposes of Maryam Nawaz's bail plea in Jatti Umra land case

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday disposed of a pre-arrest bail petition filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Vice President Maryam Nawaz in Raiwand (Jatti Umra) land case.

The bench comprising Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Asjad Javaid Ghural heard the pre-arrest bail petition. Maryam Nawaz also remained present during the proceedings.

Special Prosecutor for NAB Faisal Bukhari appeared before the bench and stated that the bureau had filed a reply to the petition.

At this, the bench questioned the prosecutor whether the bureau had issued warrants for arrest of Maryam Nawaz in the case.

To which, the prosecutor replied that no arrest warrants had so far been issued.

However, the petitioner's counsel requested the bench to direct the bureau to inform in advance if it wanted to arrest her client in future, so that she could approach the court.

Subsequently, the bench disposed of the petition and directed the bureau to inform Maryam Nawaz ten days prior to arrest.

The court had granted interim bail to Maryam Nawaz till April 12 in the case after she filed the petition challenging call-up notices for March 26 by the bureau in an inquiry relating to Jatti Umra land transfer case.

The bureau had summoned Maryam Nawaz over purchase of 1,440-kanal (approx) land in the Mouza Sultankay, Mouza Mall, Mouza Asal Lakhowal and Mouza Bado Ki San, district Lahore” illegally.

The NAB asked Maryam for providing details of the land acquired/purchased in each of the said villages and income derived from the said agricultural land, besides the sources of funds (money trail) for the purchase of these lands.

As per NAB, the Sharif family in 2013 had acquired 3,568 kanals of land allegedly in connivance with a former DCO and an ex-DG of the Lahore Development Authority during the tenure of Shahbaz Sharif as chief minister. Out of it, 1,936 kanals were allotted to the Sharif brothers’ mother Shamim Bibi, 96 kanals each to Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif and 1,440 to Maryam.