LAHORE: An accountability court on Wednesday issued notices to the parties concerned for their replies in an application of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) seeking approval to close an investigation into Chaudhry Sugar Mills reference against Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and others by March 9.
The NAB in its application stated that the Lahore High Court (LHC) had directed the bureau to place a termination report before the accountability court for the closure of the investigation in the reference as per law.
Earlier, Javed Arshad Bhatti advocate submitted his power of attorney on behalf of Chief Minister Maryam and Nawaz Sharif.
The LHC Chief Justice Aalia Neelum on February 4 had directed the NAB authorities to place the termination report before the accountability court.
She also instructed the accountability court to decide the matter within one month from the date of receipt of the report.
The order was passed on an application of CM Maryam seeking refund of rupees 70 million deposited as a guarantee for post-arrest bail in the reference.
A NAB prosecutor had told the court that an executive board of the bureau terminated the proceedings. The decision was endorsed by the chairman and the prosecutor general of the NAB and the proceedings of the case were terminated with absolute exoneration of the petitioner Maryam Nawaz.
However, on the court’s query, a deputy prosecutor general of NAB submitted that the decision of the executive board was not absolute and can be recalled by the subsequent executive board.
At this, the Chief Justice directed the NAB to adopt a proper legal course for the closure of the investigation by filing a termination report before the trial court.
A NAB team had arrested Maryam on Aug 8, 2019 when she was present at the Kot Lakhpat jail on her weekly visit to her father Nawaz Sharif along with her daughter and cousin Yousaf Abbas, the son of late Abbas Sharif.
The LHC on November 4, 2019 had released Maryam Nawaz, now chief minister, in the sugar mills reference on bail subject to surrendering her passport with the court.
She was also ordered to deposit rupees 70 million with the registrar judicial.
Later, a LHC full bench on October 3, 2022 returned her passport after the NAB said it did not require the travel document anymore.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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