The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday granted bail to PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif in both the assets beyond means and money laundering cases, a reported.
The PML-N president had approached the high court against his arrest by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the corruption references also involving his family members. Shehbaz was granted bail against two surety bonds of Rs5 million each. The LHC had earlier reserved its verdict after hearing arguments from both parties.
NAB’s special prosecutor, Syed Faisal Raza Bukhari, implored the court during the hearing on Wednesday that Shehbaz’s family had assets of around Rs 16.5 million before 1990, which increased to more than Rs 7 billion in 2018. He added that there are nine benamidars in the case which also made assets. “When Shehbaz Sharif was asked about Rs124 million, he replied it was profit gained from various businesses but when NAB asks him, he stays quiet,” said the prosecutor.
He further stated in court that money transfers are not sent into the opposition leader’s accounts when he is holding public office and elaborated that Nusrat Shehbaz Sharif has assets of Rs229 million and received 26 transfers in her account. The NAB prosecutor further argued that Rs50 million had been spent on Shehbaz’s camp office, which was a residential property owned by Shehbaz’s family. “When NAB asked how the house was purchased, they did not reply.”
The counsel for the PML-N president informed the court that all assets had been declared, to which the accountability watchdog’s prosecutor replied that the bureau was not referring to the assets which had been declared, but rather the source of income through which the assets were made or purchased.
NAB’s prosecutor further stated that transfers were received by most family members of Shehbaz and funds were also transferred in the accounts of Punjab’s CM Secreteriat and accounts operated by Haroon Yousaf. He further prayed to the court that the PML-N president was the main accused in the money laundering and assets beyond means case, and his bail should be dismissed.
The news of the PML-N president – incarcerated since September 28, last year – being granted bail was hailed by many party leaders including Maryam Nawaz. The PML-N vice president posted a picture of her uncle on Twitter, thanking the Almighty for his release. ¹