LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday reopened another inquiry into land purchase by PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz and summoned her on March 26.

The PML-N has alleged that NAB got active against Maryam Nawaz at the behest of Prime Minister Imran Khan and his adviser Shahzad Akbar to silence her voice.

The bureau had already called Ms Nawaz in a money-laundering investigation in connection with the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case for the same day (March 26).

On Thursday, the bureau issued another call-up notice to Maryam asking her that she had purchased 148 kanal land in Mauza Sultankey, Mauza Mal, Mauza Asal Lakhowal and Mauza Bado Ki Sani in Lahore.

“In this regard you are required to provide details about the land acquired in each of the aforesaid mauzas and year-wise break-up, total income derived from the said agri land, money trail for the purchase in Lahore where she has this land, taxes and duties paid on them and whether the land in-question is being used for agriculture or commercial purposes.”

The bureau asked her to appear before a combined investigation team on March 26 at its Thokar Niaz Beg office.

The NAB is also probing the role of government officials Noorul Amin Mengal and Ahad Cheema in this inquiry.

The NAB had not summoned Ms Nawaz since August last when violence erupted outside its Lahore headquarters on her arrival to record statement in investigation against her.

The national anti-graft body had also moved the Lahore High Court seeking cancellation of the post-arrest bail granted to her in November 2019 in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case. The court has issued a notice to her for April 7.

PML-N Punjab information secretary Azma Bokhari said Shahzad Akbar had set up a cell where planning was being done to silence the voice of Maryam Nawaz. “Akbar was employed at Rs8,000 in NAB and now he is talking of billions of rupees,” she said and alleged that Akbar pressurised NAB to go after the opposition leaders.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2021