We will not be intimidated or unnerved, says Maryam Nawaz

KARACHI: Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz said on Friday that the Sharif family is neither unnerved nor will it be intimidated by anyone.

The former prime minister’s daughter, in an interview with a private new channel, also said that this is the first such case in which the punishment was given before the case was registered. 

Maryam also reiterated her previous claims that Nawaz Sharif was disqualified for not taking a salary from his son’s company.

However, the Pakistani nation has rejected Nawaz’s disqualification, she added.

Everybody knows who the pawns are, there is no need to take their names, she remarked, adding that these pawns sometimes hide behind the judiciary or the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

“Mian Nawaz Sharif will return to the country soon,” said Maryam.  

“We have a bright future. Try to stop us if you can,” she said while addressing all her rival political parties.   

Earlier in the day, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) submitted four interim references against the Sharif family and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar before the accountability court on Friday.

Accountability court accepts all references against Sharifs, Dar: NAB

Sharif family members and Dar can face up to 14 years imprisonment, heavy fine, and freezing of property as well as lifelong disqualification from public office if found guilty

NAB Spokesperson Nawazish Ali told Geo News that all the references have been accepted for trial and nothing has been sent back.

Three of the references are against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam, son-in-law Capt (retd) Safdar and sons Hussain and Hasan while another is against Dar.

If convicted, the accused can face up to 14 years imprisonment and lifelong disqualification from holding public office including the freezing of bank accounts and assets.

The references were filed in light of the Supreme Court's July 28 decision in the Panama Papers case. The bureau was given six weeks, from the date of the court's order, to file the reference in an accountability court while the court was granted six months to wrap up the proceedings.