The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has summoned former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his children to appear before it today (Sunday).
A six-member team headed by DG NAB Shahzad Saleem is present in Lahore office to question Sharif family members in a reference related to the Avenfield properties.
According to sources, Nawaz Sharif, his sons – Hassan and Hussain Nawaz – his daughter Maryam Nawaz and Captain (r) Safdar were asked to appear at 11:00am, however, the NAB team will wait for them till 2:00pm.
NAB sources told that investigators cannot wait much longer for Sharif family as time is short. A final notice will be issued to them if they remained absent today. It was further told that a report on Sharif family members’ continuous absence will be presented in the Supreme Court on 8th September.
NAB sources said the accountability watchdog has the authority to detain the accused, whereas, the court can also issue their arrest order.
It is worth mentioning here that the ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his sons Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz were summoned on Friday by NAB team to record their statements in Azizia Steel Mills case, however, they decided not to appear till Nawaz Sharif’s petition seeking a review of the Supreme Court’s verdict that disqualified him from office is finalised.
On July 28, a five judge larger bench of the Supreme Court while disqualifying Nawaz Sharif under Article 62(1)( f) of the Constitution had asked NAB to file four references in the Rawalpindi accountability court within six weeks on the basis of the material collected and referred to by the joint investigation team (JIT) as well as that already available with the Federal Investigation Agency and NAB.
