LAHORE    -    The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday declared Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, his son, Hamza Shehbaz, and oth­ers innocent in an assets beyond means and mon­ey-laundering reference.

The bureau declared the PM and others innocent in a supplementary report, filed before Account­ability Court Judge Qamaruz Zaman, who conduct­ed the reference proceedings.

The NAB officials filed the supplementary report during Wednesday’s proceedings, and submitted that PM Shehbaz Sharif and others were found innocent as no element of corruption emerged against them in acquiring assets, during the re-in­vestigation process. To a court query, the NAB offi­cials submitted that as per amended NAB law, the Bureau could not proceed if there was no evidence of corruption in acquisition of assets.

At this, the court adjourned further proceedings till May 24, and sought arguments from the parties to the extent of the supplementary report.

Advocate Anwaar Hussain represented PM She­hbaz Sharif, during the proceedings. The court had granted permanent exemption from person­al appearance to the PM. The court also exempt­ed Hamza Shehbaz from personal appearance for one-day after allowing an application, filed on his behalf for the purpose. Meanwhile, the court ex­tended the interim bail of Haroon Yousaf and Tahir Naqvi till the next date of hearing, May 24.