Court confirms PM Shehbaz, Hamza's bails in money laundering case

A special court has confirmed the interim bails of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz in the money laundering case, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The court directed the father-son duo to submit surety bonds amounting to Rs1 million each.

Special Court Central Judge Ijaz Hassan Awan pronounced the decision on bail applications of PM Shehbaz and Hamza on Saturday. 

The court inquired of the FIA prosecutor if there was need to arrest the accused. The prosecutor replied there was no need of it. 

Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has contested the corruption and money laundering cases made by the NAB and FIA against him saying he was innocent and the cases were baseless.

Both PM Shehbaz and Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz appeared before the court in money laundering case. 

At the outset of the case proceedings, Prime Minister Shehbaz went to the rostrum and requested the judge to let him explain truth about his bail. He said there was nothing new in the FIA case against him as both NAB and FIA cases were same. He said the authorities made Ashiyana and Ramazan Sugar Mills cases against him.

The judge inquired of him if he did not have shares in sugar mills. On this, the PM replied in negative saying ‘I’m neither a director, owner nor even a share holder in sugar mills. And I was wrongfully accused of abusing power in Ashiyana Housing Society case’. 

The premier said that the Lahore High Court had already given verdict in his favour. He said the NAB challenged his bail in the Supreme Court. But the anti-graft watchdog faced embarrassment when the top court chided NAB for lack of evidence and it just sprinted away from the top court. 

Shehbaz said after spending his days in NAB dungeon, when he went to jail, he verbally told the FIA about all the facts. He contented that the courts decided his cases on merit and he was honourably acquitted. He said the FIA was reprimanded for not presenting challan against him in the court. He said the FIA was actually delaying challan in order to find some way to arrest him. 

Court orders to start proceeding to declare Salman as PO

During the hearing, a report regarding non-bailable arrest warrants for Salman Shehbaz and two other accused was also submitted to the court. 

According to report, Salman was not found at his home address as he had gone abroad and never returned. The other two accused also had not been served with warrants as Malik Maqsood was died and accused Tahir Naqvi was out of country. 

The court was informed that a letter had been written to the relevant department for the confirmation of money laundering accused Malik Maqsood. 

The judge, however, ordered to start proceedings to declare Salman Shehbaz and Tahir Naqvi as proclaimed offender. 

Tarar accuses former rulers of quashing cases in return for diamond 

Meanwhile, talking to media after court hearing, Punjab government spokesperson Attaullah Tarar lashed out at former prime minister Imran Khan. He said that consultants should be called for the medical examination of the PTI chief’s brain health. 

He said former Punjab chief minister Usman Buzdar had given billions of rupees’ subsidy to the sugar mafia. 

He accused former rulers of accepting diamond for quashing cases against criminals. He accused them of giving tax amnesty to their friends. He alleged that the former rulers minted millions by transferring and posting government officials. 

Reporter Shaheen Attique