LAHORE       -          A Lahore High Court division bench on Thursday dismissed bail petitions filed by three co-accused persons involved in alleged money-laundering for the Shehbaz Sharif family.

The bench, headed by Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, heard the post-arrest bail petitions, filed by Qasim Qayyum, Fazl Dad and Shoaib Qamar.

The petitioners’ counsel argued that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had arrested the co-accused on mere allegations. He claimed that the bureau had failed to produce any evidence during the 90-day custody. He pleaded with the court to grant post-arrest bail to them. He submitted that the co-accused could not be held for an indefinite period of time.

However, a NAB prosecutor opposed the request saying that all three co-accused were arrested on the basis of solid evidence against them. He submitted that Fazl Dad and Shoaib were employees of the Shehbaz family and they facilitated the family in money laundering. He submitted that Qasim Qayyum was a money changer who illegally transferred massive foreign amounts in accounts of the Shehbaz family.

He pleaded with the court for dismissal of the bail petitions. The bench, after hearing detailed arguments, dismissed the bail petitions.