Daily Times

LAHORE: A banking offences court on Friday allowed an application, filed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) against the court’s jurisdiction to hear the money laundering and sugar scam case against the opposition leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and his son, Hamza Shehbaz.

The court held that the matter did not fall in its jurisdiction and returned the challan to the FIA, with a direction to file it before the court concerned. The court also extended bail of Shehbaz and Hamza for seven days and directed them to approach the court concerned for bail. Banking Court Judge Sardar Tahir Sabir announced the verdict on an application, filed by the FIA against the court’s jurisdiction to hear the matter.

The court reserved its verdict on the application a few hours ago Friday morning. Earlier, during the proceedings, Hamza Shehbaz appeared before the court and got his attendance marked. However, Shehbaz Sharif did not appear in the court and an application was filed on his behalf for exemption from personal appearance for one-day, which was allowed by the court.

The FIA counsel filed a report about the role of the bankers in the money laundering offences, as per previous court directions. He submitted that no banker was found involved in the offence during an investigation. To a court query, the defence counsel submitted that if the court considered it appropriate, then the matter could be sent to another court. To another query about bail applications, the counsel submitted that the bail applications would also be transferred to the other court.

At the last hearing, the counsel for parties had advanced their arguments on the application but the court had sought a report about the role of the bankers in the matter. The FIA had challenged the court’s jurisdiction to hold trial in the case wherein a challan had also been filed by the agency. Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza had obtained interim bail from the court. Shehbaz and his sons – Hamza and Suleman – were booked by the FIA in November 2020 under sections 419, 420, 468, 471, 34, and 109 of the PPC and 5(2) and 5(3) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and r/w 3/4 of Anti Money Laundering Act. Suleman is absconding and residing in the UK.