LAHORE - The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday extended interim bail of Opposition Leader in National Assembly Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif till September 21 in assets beyond means and money laundering case.
As the division bench headed by Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem started the proceedings, an associate of Shehbaz Sharif’s counsel requested the bench to adjourn the matter for three weeks. He stated that senior counsel Azam Nazir Tarar was busy in Islamabad.
At this, the bench adjourned hearing of the pre-arrest bail petition filed by Shehbaz Sharif till Sept 21 and also extended his interim bail. Shehbaz Sharif also remained present in the court during the proceedings.
It is pertinent to mention here that strict security measures were made on the occasion and policemen were posted inside and outside the court premises.
The LHC had on June 3 granted interim bail to Shehbaz Sharif in assets case & money laundering and it had been extended many times.
Hearing adjourned due to senior counsel’s engagement in Islamabad
Shehbaz Sharif through his petition submitted that the bureau had launched an investigation against him over charges of assets beyond means and money laundering. Shehbaz Sharif submitted that he extended full cooperation with NAB authorities and appeared before the investigation team on being summoned. He submitted that he extended full cooperation and furnished all record. He expressed apprehension that the bureau might arrest him.
He pleaded with the court for grant of pre-arrest bail in the case. The NAB had also filed a reference against Shehbaz Sharif family before an accountability court in the money laundering case.
Shehbaz Sharif, Hamza Shehbaz, Salman Shehbaz, Nusrat Shehbaz, Rabia Imran, Javeria Ali, Nisar Ahmad Ali, Ahmad Khan, Syed Muhammad Tahir Naqvi, Qasim Qayyum, Rashid, Masroor Anwar, Muhammad Usman, Fazal Dad, Muhammad Shoaib Qamar, Haroon Yousaf Zai have been named accused in the reference comprising of 55 volumes. According to the reference, the whole family committed massive money laundering of Rs 7 billion. Yasir Mushtaq, Mushtaq Ahmad, Shahid Rafique and Aftab were made approvers in the reference.