ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has frozen the assets of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his children Maryam Nawaz, Hussain Nawaz, Hassan Nawaz and his son-in-law Captain (retired) Safdar, ARY News reported on Wednesday.
According to ARY News correspondent Zulqarnain Haider, a letter from NAB Lahore has directed relevant authorities including Lahore Development Authority (LDA), Capital Development Authority (CDA), Chief Commissioner Islamabad and banks that all property and assts belonging to Nawaz Sharif, his children Maryam Nawaz, Hussain Nawaz, Hassan Nawaz and his son-in-law Captain (retired) Safdar cannot be transferred or dissipated until further orders.
It emerged earlier in the day that the anti-corruption watchdog has also frozen bank accounts and other assets of the foreign minister.
A NAB Lahore team also raided finance minister Ishaq Dar’s house in Islamabad hours after an accountability court issued bailable arrest warrants against the PML-N stalwart.
Asset freezing is a legal process which prevents a defendant to an action from dissipating their assets from beyond the jurisdiction of a court so as to frustrate a potential judgment.
In July, Supreme Court removed Nawaz Sharif from the position of the prime minister after investigators found enough evidence for him and his family to be prosecuted over their ownership of luxury residences in London as well as offshore companies, revealed in the Panama Papers leaks.
NAB was ordered to file several references against Nawaz, his children Hussain, Hasan, and Maryam, son-in-law MNA Capt (retd) Safdar and Dar.
The accountability bureau was given six weeks, from the date of the court’s order, to file the references in the accountability courts of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
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