Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday claimed that he had saved each and single penny of the national exchequer and always tried to provide relief to the people, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Speaking in the rostrum of Lahore’s Special Central Court where he had gone in connection with the hearing of a money laundering case against him, he said for 10 years he served Punjab as the province’s chief minister. “I did my best to protect the resources of the country’s largest province,” PM Shehbaz said, and added never ever in the country’s history he announced a subsidy for the sugar mills’ owners.
And when he became the country’s prime minister, he went on to add, he took some tough decisions so much so that he even put his political future at stake. “Had I not taken these decisions, the country could have defaulted,” he added.
He informed the court that he was receiving letters for the export of sugar. “But I have not accepted these requests. This is despite the fact that the country can earn dollars from the export of the commodity. And we need dollars,” he said, and added, “But since I am aware that if sugar is exported, these will be the poor people who will suffer, I simply refused.”
“My lord, it was not easy for me to take this decision,” the prime minister boasted.
Earlier during the hearing, Amjad Pervaiz, counsel for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, told the court that now even the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had admitted that his client was not connected to his son Suleman Shehbaz’s business, and it was the latter who called the shots. “Even there is no word in the case’s challan, spreading over several pages, that could suggest that the prime minister has any role in the business,” he added.
On the other hand, counsel for Hamza Shehbaz, PM Shehbaz’s son and a co-suspect in the case, in an application, prayed to the court to exempt his client from today’s hearing since he had a backache.
PM Shehbaz’s lawyer laughs off allegations against his client
Advocate Amjad Pervaiz said that investigation was held in the case against his client, but there was not a single testimony on record.
He remarked how preposterous was the allegation that a van would come to Shehbaz’s camp office when he was the Punjab chief minister to collect cash, but none, including the policemen deputed there, came forward to testify during the last 10 years of probe into the case. “In order to prove my client guilty, it will have to be proved that the cash was received and deposited in benami accounts,” the prime minister’s lawyer added.
Later, the court adjourned the hearing of money laundering case against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz until October 8, 2022.
PM Shehbaz’s lawyer Amjad Pervaiz Advocate will continue to give arguments for the acquittal of his client in the case on the next date of the hearing as well.
Reporter: Jamaluddin Jamali