LAHORE - The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday extended  interim bail of Opposition Leader in National

Assembly Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif till July 23 in assets beyond means and money laundering investigation by National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The Division Bench comprising  Justice Masud Abid Naqvi and Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem heard the pre-arrest bail petition filed by Shehbaz Sharif.

During Thursday's proceedings, Shehbaz Sharif and other Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leaders appeared before the bench. An associate of Shehbaz Sharif's counsel requested the bench to adjourn the matter.

He stated that senior counsel-Amjad Parvaiz and Azam Nazir Tarar were busy in Islamabad. NAB Special Prosecutor Syed Faisal Raza Bukhari disagreed with the request and commented that the Chief Justice of Pakistan had taken a suo motu notice over delay in decision of NAB cases. At this stage, Shehbaz Sharif submitted that he appeared before the bench, while ignoring advice by the doctors.  He submitted that his illness was politicised at different forums.

However, the bench remarked that Shehbaz Sharif was exempted from personal appearance on previous hearing due to illness. Shehbaz Sharif claimed that the NAB had completed investigations from him. He stated that seven persons were present when he appeared before the NAB investigation team and they admitted that the investigations had been completed. However, the Special Prosecutor submitted  that Shehbaz Sharif refused to answer queries by the investigation team on the last appearance before it.   Subsequently, the bench adjourned further hearing till July 23 and also extended interim bail granted to Shehbaz Sharif.