Maryam Nawaz arrested by Pak's anti-graft body
Lahore: Maryam Nawaz, Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter, was arrested here on Thursday in a money laundering case while she was visiting her jailed father, an official said.
On July 31, the 45-year-old Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam was questioned by the anti-corruption agency officials in connection with the alleged money laundering and income beyond means charges against her and her family.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested Maryam from the Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore where her father is serving a seven-year prison term since December 24, 2018 after he was convicted in one of the three corruption cases filed in the wake of the apex court's July 28, 2017 order in Panama Papers case.
"We have arrested Maryam Nawaz in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills (CSM) case as she was facing money laundering and income beyond means charges," a NAB official told PTI.
Maryam had been given a questionnaire based on six questions in the CSM case, which she was due to answer by 3pm (local time) on Thursday. However, the NAB officials reached the jail and detained her, the Dawn News reported.
According to the NAB officials, Maryam had excused herself from appearing before the accountability bureau on Thursday and had gone to meet Nawaz in the jail. She is now being taken to the NAB headquarters.
Her arrest came the day after she accused Prime Minister Imran Khan of "fall of Kashmir" and demanded registration of a treason case against him. Besides, she has been challenging the powerful military establishment for installing the Imran Khan government through a stolen mandate.
Maryam had appeared before NAB on July 31 to record her statement in the case. The statement was regarding "dubious" business transactions of the CSM case of which she was one of the major shareholders, the Dawn report said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Kerala politicians stand by actor Mammootty facing online harassment, call him state's pride
Thiruvananthapuram, May 16: Politicians from the Left and the Congress party in Kerala have rallied behind Malayalam superstar Mammootty who is facing online harassment from certain right wing sympathisers in connection with one of his movies that had been released two years ago.
The controversy erupted after posts on on social media platforms claimed that the movie 'Puzhu' released in 2022 was an anti-Brahmanical one.
Some of them even used Mammootty's birth name, Muhammed Kutty, to criticise the national award-winning actor in connection with the film, which was a psychological drama directed by debutant filmmaker Ratheena P T.
The row erupted following a recent interview given by the woman director's husband to an online channel in which he claimed that the movie was against a particular community and criticised Mammootty over doing the film.
Rubbishing the social media campaign against the legendary actor, several persons including state Ministers V Sivankutty and K Rajan and AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal came out in support of Mammootty.
Senior CPI (M) leader and General Education Minister V Sivankutty put up a Facebook post sharing a photo of of him with the actor, who has won three national awards, among many other recognitions.
"Mammootty is Malayalees' pride," the minister said in the FB post.
CPI leader and Revenue Minister K Rajan also described Mammootty as the "Pride of Kerala and Malayalees".
The minister alleged that "Sangh Parivar politics" was behind such campaigns and said that such propaganda would not reap its desired results in the state.
"This is Kerala," he pointed out to those behind the campaign. Recalling a similar campaign unleashed against eminent director Kamal some time ago, the minister said the "the Sanghi politics of calling Mammootty as Mohammed Kutty, Kamal as Kamaluddin and Vijay as Joseph Vijay (top Tamil film star who has a large fan following in Kerala) will not reap any result here."
Sharing similar views, AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal also strongly supported Mammootty and said the secular society of the state would not support such propaganda.
He said no matter how hard they try to brand a person who has clear political views and acting skills, the people of the state won't support them.
In an FB post, the Congress leader further said that it is the duty of Kerala society to take care of the actor without being affected by the "poison of hate campaigns".
A person like Mammootty cannot be confined to the compartments of religion and caste, he said, adding that vested interests are doing so with a clear political agenda.
"Mammootty is being Mohammed Kutty only in the contemptuous minds of those hate campaigners," the leader added.
The actor is yet to react to the controversy.
