NAB moves FCC against LHC verdict in Chaudhry Sugar Mills case
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday challenged in the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) part of the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) decision in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills (CSM) reference concerning Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
In its petition, the NAB said that the LHC, through its decision dated February 4, 2026, infringed upon the NAB chairman’s powers to shelve an inquiry.
It was stated in the petition that CSM case was of a private nature in which no loss was caused to the national exchequer. “During the investigation, no proof of CM Maryam’s corruption was found,” the bureau said, adding that the high court, in its decision, made a wrong interpretation of Section 31 B (1) of the NAB amendments.
“It linked the shelving of an inquiry to the approval by an accountability court,” read the petition.
It was further stated that the court tried to change the law by inserting words in it. “By laying down the condition that an accountability court will okay shelving of an inquiry, the court tried to change the law.”
The NAB said that had the parliament been in favour of an approval by a court, it would have jotted it down in the legislation.
It prayed to the court to declare the LHC’s order null and void.
In the CSM case, there are allegations of money laundering and dubious transactions against the Punjab chief minister.
The bureau stopped further investigating the case, saying it was of private nature.
Court reserves verdict in CSM case
Also on Monday, an accountability court (AC) in Lahore reserved the verdict on the petition filed by the NAB, seeking closure of an inquiry against Punjab CM Maryam and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the CSM case after hearing arguments from the parties to the case.
During the hearing, the anti-corruption watchdog told the court that during the investigation, no evidence of corruption either by CM Maryam or Nawaz Sharif had been found.
Reporters: Amanat Gishkori and Jamaluddin Jamali