Experts hired to conduct forensic testing of Maryam Nawaz's car: Rana Sanaullah

LAHORE: Experts have been hired to carry out a forensic testing of PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz's car, the president of the party's Lahore chapter, Rana Sanaullah, said Sunday, in what came as the latest update after the former accused police of firing tear gas shells during a failed bid to make an appearance at the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) office earlier this week.

Maryam had been summoned to the NAB's office in Lahore to respond in a case of alleged illegal transfer of government land but was forced to turn back after police and PML-N supporters engaged in violent clashes.

She claimed the incident was "state-sponsored terrorism" but the anti-graft watchdog labelled it unparalleled "hooliganism".

'Could have been a tragedy'

Speaking to Geo News earlier today via phone, Sanaullah said it seemed that shots were fired at the PML-N leader's car ahead of the NAB hearing but that experts have been hired to conduct a forensic test.

Investigative experts have already inspected Maryam's car, he said, adding that legal action would be initiated against whoever was found to be involved in the act.

"If Maryam Nawaz's car was not bulletproof, there could have been a tragedy," the senior PML-N leader noted.

Footage available with Geo News showed what appeared to be PML-N workers loading rocks in plastic bags onto a double cabin vehicle. Punjab government referred to the video as evidence that it was a pre-planned attack carried out by the PML-N, a charge denied by the PML-N vice president. 

'NAB's thuggery'

Maryam had said following the incident that the government was "afraid of losing grip on power", while the government had responded by claiming the violence was initiated by the PML-N, which it said had a “history” of "launching attacks against law enforcement".

The NAB had explained that it had never in its 20 years of existence experienced such "hooliganism" whereby its offices were vandalised.

In a press conference later, the PML-N VP had said: "I saw for the first time stoning, NAB's thuggery, and tear-gas shelling but the workers remained steadfast.

"Pervaiz Rasheed was in the car with me. He told me that it was a bulletproof car otherwise the stones and bricks would have hit my head," she had added.

Maryam, 188 PML-N workers booked

Two days later, however, police had booked Maryam, her husband, Muhammad Safdar Awan, and 188 party workers after the clashes outside the NAB's office. Authorities had said the case was registered at the Chohang police station on behalf of the anti-corruption body's officials.

Apart from the PML-N VP and her husband, Sanaullah, Pervez Rashid, Zubair Mahmood, Javed Latif, Daniyal Aziz, and Pervez Malik were also named in the first information report (FIR).

Police had further said a case was registered against 300 unidentified persons, including 188 PML-N workers, which included violence against police personnel. At least 13 police officers were injured in the clashes, they claimed.