Court extends Shehbaz’s judicial remand in money laundering case
An accountability court on Thursday extended the judicial remand of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) President Shehbaz Sharif after reviewing jail warrant in money laundering reference.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) court also approved exemption from the hearing plea of Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz and adjourned the proceedings till May 4.
Earlier, Lahore High Court (LHC) had approved Shehbaz’s bail plea in money laundering case. After hearing arguments from both sides, the court had directed the authorities to release him from Kot Lakhpat jail over two surety bonds of Rs5 million each. The LHC had granted bail to Hamza in money laundering case after 20 months and directed the authorities to release him from the jail over submission of two surety bonds.
Shehbaz had termed the allegations of money laundering and kickback as baseless. Daily Mail’s lawyer had confessed to not having enough evidence during the proceedings in British court, he added.
The NAB prosecutor said that London’s verdict has nothing to do with this case.
The PML-N president had also submitted an appreciation letter of Chinese ambassador in the court on which, NAB prosecutor raised objections.
The director general of NAB Lahore had submitted a report in the court through investigation officer on freezing the properties of Shehbaz’s wife Nusrat Seahbaz, daughter Rabia Imran and others. Shehbaz said that there was no doctor dealing with cancer patients present in the government panel, therefore, he requested the court to include his personal doctor in the board.
Accountability court had declared Nusrat as proclaimed offender in money laundering case over her continuous absence from case hearings.
On November 11, 2020, Shehbaz and his son Hamza were indicted in money laundering reference by accountability court. All the accused in the case pleaded not guilty. Shehbaz, while rejecting the allegations of the antigraft watchdog, said that he was being politically victimised. Approver Yasir Mushtaq had recorded his statement in connection with money laundering case against Shehbaz’s family. The approver said that he was directed by Sharif family’s chief executive officer (CEO) to turn the Rs600 million black money into white money.
The chief financial officer (CFO) had told him to use bank account of Mushtaq and Company for telegraphic transfer (TT), he added.
On September 28, 2020, NAB team had arrested Shehbaz in money laundering case after the LHC rejected his bail plea. A two-member bench of the high court comprising Justice Sardar Ahmed Naeem and Justice Farooq Haider heard the plea, during which Shehbaz Sharif’s lawyer presented his arguments.
Counsel of the PML-N president argued that Shehbaz saved over Rs1,000 billion of national exchequer and never received his pay as a member of National Assembly (NA). No evidence was available against Shehbaz in money laundering case and none of the witnesses accused PML-N leader of the ill practice, he added.
The accountability court had issued bailable arrest warrants for Nusrat and Rabia over continuous absence the in the money laundering case.
The accountability judge had directed Nusrat and Rabia to attend the hearings at any cost.
While talking to media outside the court, Shehbaz said that the incumbent government of Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) was taking political revenge from PML-N leaders. I have always served the people of Punjab with sincerity, he added.
According to the NAB investigation report, CFO of Sharif family, Muhammad Usman, laundered money for the Shehbaz’s family.