LAHORE: An accountability court in Lahore on Wednesday deferred until May 14 the indictment of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz in a money-laundering case.
Sharif and his family are facing charges of money laundering of billions of rupees using accounts operated in the name of their businesses and employees, according to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
During the proceedings, Punjab chief minister-elect Hamza Shehbaz appeared before the Special Central Court in the case.
The court, which was scheduled to hear arguments regarding the indictment of the father-son duo, instead heard the requests for an increase in their interim bail periods.
Hamza Shehbaz appeared before the court but Shehbaz Sharif skipped the hearing citing “important engagements”. He submitted an application requesting to grant him exemption from appearance.
Prosecutor Aqeel Khan appeared before the court to argue the case on behalf of the agency.
During the hearing, Khan informed the court that the investigation officer (IO) of the case has been changed and his successor, Nadeem Akhtar, will appear before the court.
He requested the court to grant Akhtar some time to get a grip on the case. At this, the court adjourned the hearing.
The reference mainly accused Shehbaz Sharif of being a beneficiary of assets held in the name of his family members and benamidars, who had no sources to acquire such assets.
It said the family members and benamidars of the Shehbaz family received fake foreign remittances of billions in their personal bank accounts. In addition to these remittances, the bureau said, billions of rupees were laundered by way of foreign pay orders, which were deposited in the personal bank accounts of Hamza and his brother Suleman Shehbaz.
The reference further said that the family of Shehbaz failed to justify the sources of funds used for the acquisition of assets.
It said the suspects committed offences of corruption and corrupt practices as envisaged under the provisions of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, and money laundering as delineated in the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010. It asked the trial court to try the suspects and punish them under the law.
