A day after PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz strongly criticised the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and questioned who gave it the right to "judge [her] statements", the anti-graft watchdog hit back at her remarks on Tuesday, terming them an attempt by Maryam to detract attention from ongoing investigations against her.

Taking notice of Maryam's statements, NAB said in a press release that it was investigating cases related to Maryam's involvement in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills and money laundering.

It said that after NAB summoned her in a personal capacity, Maryam was "making efforts to create an environment of chaos in the country, besides continuing to give treasonous statements against respectable institutions like NAB, judiciary and law enforcement agencies".

The primary purpose of these statements was to create obstacles in, and influence, the investigation of cases related to corruption and money laundering against the Sharif family besides promoting conditions that were detrimental to peace, the handout said.

"Through such statements, Maryam Nawaz had been trying to get herself acquitted in ongoing investigations against herself and bring the institutions to a point of confrontation," it said.

The bureau claimed that Maryam had "challenged law and order by giving inciteful speeches", citing the violence that had erupted during her appearance at the NAB Lahore office in August last year.

It recalled that a first information report (FIR) had also been registered against Maryam and party workers for the clash in which many people, including some officials, were injured.

However, NAB had decided not to summon Maryam "for a while, keeping in view the overall political situation, her political activities and national interests".

It claimed that Maryam had taken "undue advantage" of the delay by "constantly challenging the accountability process". An effort was also made during this time to "make fun of the respectable courts' past judgements", it added.

The PML-N leader's statements outside accountability courts at different times showed "a plan of extremism", NAB said. This was akin to giving the public a "false impression", according to which NAB's summoning and questioning of Maryam were given a political colour, the press release stated.

"NAB considers it important to clarify that Maryam did not only discuss the institution's petition in the court in a very wrong way but tried to distort the facts.

"NAB is a national institution that believes in taking constitutional and legal steps on the basis of justice and merit according to its mandate and will continue to do so. NAB is not affiliated with any political party and all its steps are associated with the benefit of Pakistan and its people," it concluded.

'Who gave you the right to judge statements?'

A day earlier, Maryam had questioned the accountability watchdog's move to "judge" her statements ahead of a hearing of NAB's petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC).

"Who gave you the right to judge statements? Your job was to supposedly stop corruption. Now that you've failed in that, you have changed your responsibilities?" she said while addressing the bureau.

She said the various institutions such as the army and the courts had their own spokespersons so who had appointed NAB as the spokesperson.

NAB had submitted a petition in the LHC seeking the cancellation of Maryam's bail in the CSM case.

The petition stated that Maryam had been giving statements against state institutions since her bail and "tarnishing their image".

The petition was roundly condemned by PML-N leaders who said it was nothing more than an effort to "gag" Maryam.

Maryam was arrested by NAB in the CSM case in August 2019. The accountability watchdog suspects her of involvement in money laundering through investments of variable heavy amounts as one of the main shareholders of the mills.

She was later released on bail in November 2019 by a two-member LHC bench against two surety bonds worth Rs10 million each, and an additional Rs70m as well as surrendering her passport.