Lahore, 13 July (TNS): The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials have arrested former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz at Allama Iqbal International Airport (AIIA) upon their arrival from Abu Dhabi.
Shortly afterward, the two were boarded on a separate special plane which took off for Islamabad. Nawaz and Maryam would later be transferred to the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, sources said.
The flight carrying former premier Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz landed at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport around 8:45 pm PST on Friday night, and the two were taken into custody by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials around 9:25 pm.
According to media reports, dozens of security officials entered the plane after it landed and asked other passengers to leave. The duo’s passports were seized by a three-member Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) team.
Earlier three plans were made to arrest former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz upon their arrival in Pakistan aimed at avoiding public gatherings and maintaining peace.
Sources said that Plan A focuses on the possibility that their flight may be diverted to Islamabad due to bad weather conditions, where they will be arrested by a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) team at Islamabad International Airport (IIA). They will then be flown to Central Jail Adiala by helicopter, sources said. If the weather is not suitable for a helicopter ride, they will be driven to Attock jail, which is closest to the airport.
According to sources, after the meeting was over, NAB officials and security officials visited the apron-domestic cargo side and reviewed various options to arrest the former prime minister and his daughter and take them to Adiala jail or the nearest prison facility.
Under the Plan B, the former prime minister will be allowed to land at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore and then flown to Islamabad either by a small plane or by helicopter. Upon landing at IIA, Sharif and Maryam will either be flown to Adiala or driven to Attock. According to Plan C, in the event of bad weather given the forecast for heavy rain on Friday, the former prime minister’s plane will land at Allama Iqbal International Airport according to the flight schedule, and Sharif and Maryam will be taken to Kot Lakhpat jail.
