LAHORE, October 8: Maryam Nawaz, daughter of former PM Nawaz Sharif, is due to return from London today (Sunday) to appear before the accountability court in Rawalpindi on Monday (tomorrow) in criminal references against her, her spouse Capt (r) Safdar, two brothers and father.
Capt (R) Safdar is also accompanying Maryam Nawaz, said media reports confirming her return through the Sharif family sources.
The couple will land in Islamabad through PIA flight PK-786 in the morning today. Maryam took decision to return home after consulting her legal team.
The accountability court hearing the references on October 2 against the Sharifs had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Capt (R) Safdar, Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz over their failure to appear.
On the last hearing of the case, the court issued bailable arrest warrants for Maryam Nawaz. Nawaz Sharif had appeared before court on both the hearings, but now he has been in London since October 5. On the direction of the Supreme Court, the NAB has moved references against the Sharifs on the charges of money laundering and corruption.
The court is already hearing a reference against Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on the allegations of accumulating illegal money beyond the declared sources. Trial of Dar is at the stage of recording statements of the witnesses. The Sharifs have yet to be indicted for which their presence is mandatory under the criminal procedure. The court holds powers to adopt harsher measures if an accused goes on defying its orders of appearance.
It is pertinent to mention that Nawaz Sharif and his family members are in London where Begum Kalsoom Nawaz is undergoing treatment for her cancer disease. They are in London to take care of Begum Kalsoom who has won the NA-120 Lahore by-election on the seat vacated by Nawaz Sharif following his disqualification under the Supreme Court verdict.-Agencies
