COURT EXTENDS PRE-ARREST BAIL OF PAK PM, HIS SON IN MONEY LAUNDERING CASE

Press Trust of India

LAHORE: A Pakistani court on Saturday extended the pre-arrest bail of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and his son and Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, till May 28, while issued an arrest warrant for the premier’s other son Shehbaz Suleman in a money laundering case.

Shehbaz appeared before the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) special court in Lahore for the first time since he assumed the charge of the top office. In previous two hearings, he had sought exemption from appearance.

“Presiding judge of the special court Ijaz Awan turned down the request of Shehbaz and Hamza’s counsel for confirming their bails. However, he extended their pre-arrest bail till next hearing on May 28,” a court official told PTI.

The judge allowed Shehbaz to speak on his case. Shehbaz said the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) had conducted an investigation into money laundering allegations against him and his family members for two years but could not find any evidence.

“All the cases against me are political,” he said and added that he had served as the chief minister for 10 years in Punjab province but had never taken salary.

“I also went on official tours using my own money. I saved the nation billions of rupees in development projects,” he said.

The prime minister further said the cases against him are part of a witch-hunt by the previous government of Imran Khan.

Shehbaz and his sons – Hamza and Suleman – were booked in November 2020 under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Anti Money Laundering Act. Suleman has been in the UK for the last three years, evading arrest.

The FIA investigation has detected 28 fictitious or third party accounts, allegedly belonging to the Sharif family, through which an amount to the tune of Rs. 14 billion was laundered from 2008 until 2018.

AFP/FILE Pakistan's PM Shehbaz Sharif in Karachi.