Daily Times

The Lahore High Court on Wednesday granted pre-arrest bail to PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif in the assets beyond means and money laundering case.

A two-member bench of the LHC comprising Justice Tariq Abbasi and Justice Farooq Haider granted bail against surety bonds worth Rs 500,000 and restrained the National Accountability (NAB) from arresting Shehbaz till June 17.

During the hearing, Shehbaz’s counsel told the court that his client was summoned on June 2. To this, the court asked the NAB prosecutor why they had summoned him on June 2 if the warrant was issued before. “The warrant for his arrest was issued after we received the relevant material,” the NAB prosecutor told the court.

Shehbaz’s counsel further told the court that his client had provided all the documents that NAB had asked for. He added Shehbaz had been summoned on October 5, 2018, and had been arrested in the Ramzan Sugar Mills case. “NAB continued to conduct an injury while Shehbaz was in remand for 63 days,” he said.

The court then ordered NAB not to arrest the PML-N leader till June 17 and directed Shehbaz to submit bonds worth Rs 500,000.

PML-N leaders Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal and Rana Sanullah were also present in the court for hearing.

Speaking to a private TV channel after the hearing, Rana Sanaullah said that when a petition had been filed in the court, it was obligatory upon law enforcement agencies to tell their side to the court. “Despite Shehbaz submitting a petition in court, NAB raided his and other PML-N leaders’ houses,” he said, adding that even roads leading up to the courthouse had been sealed. “After the chief justice took notice of this, the blockades from roads were cleared,” he said, adding that he was hopeful the court would play its part in stopping this ‘political revenge’.

Speaking to media after the hearing, PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that despite accusing Sharif of a host of corruption-related crimes, NAB has yet to prove a single allegation. “You must have heard a lot about 56 companies, what happened to them? You must have also heard about the Saaf Pani case, what happened to that? What happened to Ashiyana [case]?” he asked. “The last resort for NAB are accusations of assets beyond means, benami assets and money laundering.”

Abbasi proposed NAB to interrogate Shehbaz Sharif in front of the people, saying that “a man who spent his life amongst the public should be interrogated in front of them as well.” “Countries become hollow if institutions resort to dishonesty,” Abbasi said. “I ask the NAB chairman, on what grounds did you sign Shehbaz Sharif’s arrest orders?”

Meanwhile, NAB Rawalpindi on Wednesday summoned Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah for questioning in connection with its investigation into a case pertaining to the multi-billion fake bank accounts scandal and alleged embezzlement in a solar light project. The bureau instructed him to turn up before its joint investigation team on Thursday at 11am.

This is the third time Murad Ali Shah has been summoned by the anti-corruption watchdog for questioning. He has been accused of illegally awarding contracts for purchase and distribution of solar lights in Sindh.