The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) prosecutor told a court in Lahore on Saturday that the fake bank accounts and money laundering case registered against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif and his son, Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Hamza Shehbaz falls under the purview of anti-establishment court, and not a banking court, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Banking Court judge Sardar Tahir Sabir heard the case.
Both father and his son are facing charges of laundering money of around Rs25 billion.
Later the court extended the interim bails granted to PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz until October 30.
The FIA prosecutor further said the banking court also has no powers to grant bails to the accused.
Speaking to the media after the hearing was over, PML-N leader Attaullah Tarar said over one year had passed since the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had registered a case against both of them. “But not a single proof of their involvement in the case could be found,” he claimed, adding FIA’s case against any of the suspects had never been so prolonged. “This will not continue any longer. The government will have to be held answerable for that,” he stated emphatically.
Reporter Umar Aslam