LAHORE: An accountability court on Friday adjourned hearing of Chaudhry Sugar Mills case against PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz and her cousin Yousaf Abbas due to unavailability of the investigating officer of the NAB.

The jail officials presented Ms Nawaz and Abbas in the court amid strict security arrangements.

No lawyer appeared from the defence side as they were busy in bail proceedings of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Ms Nawaz before the Lahore High Court.

Presiding Judge Chaudhry Ameer Muhammad Bhatti adjourned hearing till Nov 8 and directed the NAB to complete reference of the case.

To the effect of Mr Sharif, the investigating officer told the court that the application he brought for an extension in physical remand of the hospitalised accused stood infractuous since the high court had granted him bail.

Talking to the media, Ms Nawaz said she had never been under stress even during her days of oppression and detention in jail. However, she said, the deteriorating health of Mr Sharif badly affected her as she had already lost her mother last year in the same way.

Meanwhile, the judge through a written order put a ban on selfies, videos and giving interviews to the media by under-trial politicians during the court proceedings.

The judge also observed that without legal acumen, the politicians and media persons had been found involved in maligning the court on television channels without any basis and pass comments maligning the courts for their political motive.

“Therefore, the Pemra chairman is directed to control these kinds of programmes maligning the courts without any basis,” said the order adding that legal proceedings will be initiated against the violators.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2019