Pakistan's anti-graft body freezes bank accounts of Nawaz Sharif, family

Sharif, 67, had stepped down as PM after the Supreme Court disqualified him on July 28 from continuing in his office for dishonesty and ruled that corruption cases be filed against him and his children.

AFP file photo

New Delhi: In a major jolt to Pakistan's ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, the country's top anti-graft body froze bank accounts and seized properties belonging to him and his immediate family members.

Facing corruption and money laundering charges, Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law capt (retd) Safdar were asked by The Accountability Court to appear before it on September 26. "We have written to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and commercial banks requesting them that since Sharif and his children and son-in-law Safdar are facing the NAB cases, their bank accounts may be cautioned (frozen)," an official from The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) said. NAB also pasted the summonses and property attachment notices at Sharifs' residence in Raiwind on the outskirts of Lahore since the 67-year-old is currently in London to be with his ailing wife.

While speculation is rife that he may not return, the ruling PML-N party has assured otherwise. 

The NAB had already also frozen the properties of finance minister Ishaq Dar for having assets beyond his known sources of income. Bailable arrest warrants have been issued for the minister who is currently in London as well.

(With PTI inputs)