Another approver says he laundered over $2.4m for Sharifs

The statement of another approver in a case filed against PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif was made public on Saturday, in which he claimed that he helped in laundering over $2.4 million for the family, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

Shahid Rafique recorded his confessional statement before NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal and a judicial magistrate in the money laundering case.

According to Shahid, a person named Qasim Qayyum used to arrange transactions from abroad for the Sharif family in 2008 which were transferred to the bank accounts of Nusrat Shehbaz, Hamza Shehbaz, Suleman Shehbaz and Rabia Imran.

The approver says he prepared 24 TTs (telegraphic transfers) in 2008 and 2009and received commission on the money sent to the Sharif family.

In his statement, Shahid said the TTs from foreign countries were in the name of Qayyum’s employees with M/S Usman International Money Exchanged being used for the purpose.

Shahid says he started the money exchange business in 2004 and had the franchises of Zarco Exchange and AAA Money Exchange.

Moreover, he arranged the TTs with the help of his cousin Aftab Mehmood by using the names and fake identities.

Earlier on Friday, it was reported that Yasir Mehmood said the CFO (chief financial officer) of the Sharif family’s business empire in 2014 to whiten an amount of Rs600 million.

According to Yasir, when he told CFO Muhammad Usman that it wasn’t possible for them, the reply was that they would use the bank account of Mushtaq & Company for TT (telegraphic transfer). The amount belonged to Suleman Shehbaz.

He said they allowed to use their company account due to the years-long business relations and it wasn’t possible to refuse because Suleman was the then chief minister’s son.

Separately on Saturday, the NAB pasted posters outside the residence of Nusrat Shehbaz as part of the process to declare her an absconder.