Daily Times

A special court on Friday deferred the indictment of Opposition leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, his son Hamza Shehbaz and others in money-laundering and sugar scam.

Special Judge Central Ejaz Hussain Awan conducted the case proceedings, wherein Shehbaz Sharif, Hamza Shehbaz and other accused appeared and got their attendance marked.

A counsel for Shehbaz and Hamza submitted that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) authorities provided copies of the challan at a previous hearing. He submitted that the copies were not readable. He pleaded with the court to direct the FIA officials for provision of readable copies. An FIA prosecutor objected to the plea, saying that tactics were being used to get the indictment proceedings delayed.

However, the court ordered the FIA to provide readable copies of the challan. At this stage, a counsel for another accused, Usman, submitted that the court did not have jurisdiction to hear the matter, while submitting an application for the purpose. He pleaded with the court to delay the indictment proceedings till the decision on the application.

Subsequently, the court sought arguments from parties on the jurisdiction issues and adjourned further proceedings till Feb 28. Besides extending interim bail of Shehbaz and Hamza, the court directed all accused to ensure their presence on the next date of hearing.

The court had fixed Feb 18 for indictment of all accused after distribution of challan copies at the last hearing.

The case had been transferred from the special court for banking offences to the special court (Central-I) after the question of the courts’ jurisdiction was decided on Jan 14. The FIA had filed a challan against Shehbaz Sharif, Hamza Shehbaz and others in money laundering and sugar scam. The FIA nominated Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz as main accused, besides ‘benamidars’ and others. Shehbaz Sharif and his sons – Hamza and Suleman – were booked by the FIA in November 2020 under sections 419, 420, 468, 471, 34 and 109 of PPC and 5(2) and 5(3) of Prevention of Corruption Act and r/w 3/4 of Anti Money Laundering Act. Suleman is absconding and residing in the UK.

Meanwhile, an accountability court on Friday adjourned the hearing of an assets beyond means and money-laundering case against Shehbaz Sharif family and others till Feb 25. Accountability Court Judge Naseem Ahmad Virk conducted the case proceedings, wherein Opposition leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz appeared and got their attendance marked. The court recorded statements of two prosecution witnesses, Farwa Hussain and Kashif Islam during the proceedings. Shehbaz Sharif’s counsel Advocate Amjad Pervaiz also cross-examined two prosecution witnesses -Moeen Rajput and Saboji Israr. The court, on completion of the cross-examination, adjourned hearing till Feb 25 and summoned more witnesses on the next date of hearing.