The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has decided to not challenge the acquittal of PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz and her husband retired Captain (Safdar) in the Avenfield graft case. NAB Rawalpindi Director General Farmanullah has approved the decision to not move courts against their acquittal. A written order in this regard has also been issued by the anti-graft watchdog. In September last, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) annulled sentences awarded by an accountability court to Maryam Nawaz and her husband in the corruption case.

During the hearing, Justice Amir Farooq had remarked that an assets beyond means case could not be made against the PML-N vice president by the NAB since she was not a public office holder. IHC Justice Amir Farooq underscored that the NAB had failed to prove Avenfield case against the PML-N leaders, and the court acquitted the PML-N leader and her husband of the charges.

In July 2018, the accountability court had sentenced Maryam to seven years in prison and imposed a fine of two million pounds on her. Safdar was sentenced to one year in prison. The couple was later released on bail, after which they challenged their sentence in the IHC. While, the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif had been sentenced to 10 years in prison in the Avenfield reference case.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP