An accountability court on Monday extended judicial remand of Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Hamza Shahbaz until August 17 in a money laundering and assets beyond means case.

Jail authorities didn’t bring the PML-N leader to court citing the coronavirus SOPs.

To a question about the filing of a reference against Hamza Shahbaz, a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor replied that the reference is in the final phase and will soon be filed in court.

He said some co-accused in the case are still being investigated, due to which the bureau is unable to file the reference at present and needs some time to complete the investigation.

According to NAB, Hamza Shahbaz is accused of accumulating assets through unfair means and money laundering.

It must be noted that the NAB had arrested PML-N leader in the assets beyond income case on June 11, 2019, after LHC had turned down his applications for extension in interim bail. On Feb 25, the Lahore High Court (LHC) rejected the bail plea of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza Shahbaz in assets beyond means case.