PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday vowed not to become "easy prey" for the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) ahead of her appearance at the Lahore office of the anti-graft watchdog on March 26.

Talking to reporters in Lahore, Maryam claimed that the NAB's cases against her were "political and based on revenge". However, the anti-corruption watchdog would no longer be allowed to take revenge and "save Imran Khan's sinking ship", she said.

"I have said before that whatever revenge was to be taken has been taken. Whatever was to be tolerated has been tolerated. [I] have exposed them after tolerating their revenge but now if Imran Khan's government has come into difficulty and his ship is sinking, NAB will not be given the opportunity to save it and do political engineering."

Maryam said she had decided that NAB's "revenge" had to be stopped and fought against. "I will not become easy prey for NAB this time," she said, referring to the violence that had erupted during her last appearance at NAB's office in Lahore.

In August of last year, PML-N workers and police had clashed outside the NAB office on Multan Road. As a result, many people, including some officials, were injured and around 50 men were rounded up after police fired tear gas besides hurling back stones at the activists, with each side blaming the other for triggering the clash.

A first information report (FIR) was also registered against Maryam and her party workers later.

This time too, the PML-N has decided to gather party leaders and workers outside the NAB provincial headquarters while Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has also announced that his party's workers will accompany Maryam.

Meanwhile, the NAB has decided to seek "foolproof security" from Rangers and police and have its provincial head office be declared a Red Zone.

Talking about the NAB's security measures, Maryam said that it was perhaps for the first time in "NAB's dark history" that its office was being declared a Red Zone.

"This shows how much fear there is of an unarmed woman, of [former prime minister and PML-N supremo] Nawaz Sharif, of the public that they are shivering from the fear and declared it a Red Zone."

Referring to last year's clash, Maryam claimed that during her appearance at the NAB in August 2020, the bureau had "made a murder attempt on me".

"[They] fired at my car with a laser gun. They pelted me with stones, the whole world saw those videos. And now, NAB has called me and declared it a Red Zone."

When asked whether Prime Minister Imran Khan would resign, she replied that if "Imran Khan was not going home, there would be no need to call Maryam Nawaz to NAB."

Addressing reports of a rift between the PML-N and PPP, Maryam said there were "no conflicts", adding that the PPP was a separate party and had its own strategy.

"We have our own strategy. There are some common goals on which we are united within the PDM and there are ups and downs in politics.

"I have good relations with Bilawal. I am the daughter of Nawaz Sharif and I know how to maintain continuity in politics and relations," she said, refusing to comment on it further.

Regarding the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), she said that the 10-party alliance would decide its strategy itself on how it would move forward.

"There is no interference of anyone else in this. Decisions will be taken according to the expectations of the people."

Maryam granted pre-arrest bail

Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday granted Maryam pre-arrest bail till April 12 in the illegal land acquisition case and directed her to appear before the NAB investigating officer.

A two-member bench of the LHC that heard Maryam's case also directed the PML-N vice president to submit two surety bonds of Rs1 million each. At the same time, it issued a notice to the NAB chairman, directing him to submit his response in the case.

During the hearing today, Maryam's counsel argued that all investigations had already been completed in the Panama Papers probe.

He informed the court that Maryam had previously been arrested in connection with the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case but was later released on bail.

In a related development, NAB has approached the LHC to stop Maryam from bringing party workers for her appearance at its office on Friday.

In its petition, NAB said that Maryam was "in no mood to cooperate with the ongoing investigation" and had "threatened the NAB authorities that she would not appear alone" on March 26.

It added that Maryam had "planned to come to the NAB office at Lahore with a view to sabotage the investigation process and evade any hearing that may take place before the NAB authorities".

NAB requested the LHC to order Maryam to "cooperate with and appear before the investigation agency without making a law and order situation".

It also requested the high court to direct Maryam to appear alone on March 26 and on subsequent dates with a maximum of two people, of which one could be an accountant.

NAB appearance

Last Wednesday, NAB had summoned Maryam to appear before it on March 26 in a money laundering investigation in connection with the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case after a gap of seven months.

Before this, the accountability watchdog had not summoned Maryam since August 2020.

Maryam is facing two inquiries — money laundering and illegal land acquisition in Raiwind. Both investigations have been pending against her for quite some time.