The Ministry of Interior has declared the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) office in Lahore “red zone” ahead of the hearing of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Friday.
The NAB had asked the Punjab government for security on the day of the hearing, citing fears of a potential attack on its headquarters. The sub-committee on law and order of the provincial government reportedly agreed. Along with police contingents, Rangers personnel will also be deployed on the premises of the NAB headquarters on Thursday and Friday.
The PML-N vice president has been asked to appear before NAB on Friday in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills and another case that pertains to the purchase of land in Raiwind. The NAB had also filed a plea in the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking cancellation of her bail.
Rally to NAB Office
The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has said the opposition leaders and workers will accompany Maryam to the NAB office to express solidarity with the PML-N leader.
PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that NAB wants to cancel the bail of Maryam because she speaks against institutions. “So the institution has been formed not to combat corruption but to serve other institutions,” he said.
Last year in August, Maryam and her supporters appeared before NAB that resulted in clashes with police officials. Maryam termed the incident “state-sponsored terrorism” and said the government is “afraid of losing grip on power”.
NAB had said it had never in its 20 years of existence ever experienced such “hooliganism” whereby its offices were vandalised.
