Court directs lawyers to complete arguments on acquittal pleas of PM, his son.

LAHORE     -    A special court in Lahore on Tuesday directed lawyers to complete their arguments on acquittal applications of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz in a case registered by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). Special Judge (Central- 1) Ijaz Hassan Awan conducted the case proceedings, wherein Hamza Shehbaz appeared and got his attendance marked. However, after some time, the court allowed him to leave the courtroom. Advocate Amjad Pervaiz, on behalf of the prime minister, submitted an exemption application and pleaded with the court to exempt his client from personal appearance for oneday, as he had some crucial official engagements. The court questioned the FIA prosecutor about the number of accounts opened in the name of Malik Maqsood. FIA Prosecutor Farooq Bajwa submitted that eight accounts had been opened in the name of Malik Maqsood, adding that all those details were available in the challan. He submitted that as per record, neither the money was transferred in accounts of Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Sharif directly nor it was withdrawn from their accounts directly. Hamza Shehbaz’s counsel advanced his arguments during the proceedings on acquittal application of his client, saying that there was no allegation of kick-backs or corruption. He submitted that the bankers had been excluded from the case by the FIA, adding that they were neither accused nor witnesses in the matter