NAB to have helicopters at Lahore, Islamabad airports to arrest Nawaz, Maryam

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has arranged two helicopters for the arrest of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and his daughter, Maryam, upon their arrival tomorrow (July 13) from London, Geo News reported Wednesday night.

The NAB plans to position one of the two helicopters at Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Airport and the other at the new Islamabad International Airport, ready to take the two PML-N leaders into custody immediately after landing in Pakistan.

According to sources, however, the two will be arrested at the airport. The same helicopter that Sharif used as the prime minister of Pakistan will be used to transport him to the jail, they added.

Further, a 16-member team has been formed to stay in position to arrest the ex-premier and former first daughter. Of these, nine would be from the NAB itself and the rest will be police officers.

The NAB, in addition, has also advised officers at its headquarters to stay on alert.

Earlier, it was reported that the Cabinet Division had allocated two helicopters to the NAB. Shahzad Saleem, the director-general at the NAB for Lahore, had written a letter to Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, the chairman, to request a helicopter be provided to transfer the two high-profile accused.

The letter, according to sources, read that a rally will be held in Lahore upon the former premier's arrival that is likely to create challenges in arresting the father-daughter duo, who are currently in London to tend to Sharif's ailing wife, Begum Kulsoom Nawaz.

Last week, Sharif was sentenced to a total of 11 years in prison and slapped with a £8-million fine (Rs1.3-billion) in the Avenfield properties reference case, while Maryam, his daughter, was sentenced to eight years with a £2-million (Rs335-million) fine.

Additionally, Captain (retd) Safdar, Sharif's son-in-law, was given a one-year sentence without any fine. He was shifted to Adiala Jail by the NAB after he was presented in an accountability court in Islamabad on Monday.