An anti-corruption court in Lahore has acquitted the daughter and son-in-law of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a case related to alleged irregularities in the Punjab Saaf Pani Company project.
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Special Court Judge Javed Iqbal Warraich heard separate acquittal applications filed by Rabia Imran and her husband Ali Imran Yousaf. During proceedings, the judge noted that no evidence had been found linking the couple to the alleged offences.
The court observed that the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) had already submitted its investigation report, declaring both individuals innocent and stating that the case was not prosecutable. It further noted that an earlier accountability court had, in January 2022, discharged other accused persons in the same case without framing charges.
The judge also remarked that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had failed to produce evidence during earlier proceedings and that no new material had been presented even after the case was transferred to ACE. On this basis, the court ruled that the applicants were not required for arrest and disposed of their acquittal pleas as infructuous, formally acquitting them of the charges.
Previously, both accused had been declared proclaimed offenders for avoiding court proceedings. However, their arrest warrants were suspended after they surrendered before the court last month.
The broader case involved several senior figures linked to the Saaf Pani Company, including former officials who were previously arrested and later granted bail. Among them were former chairman Raja Qamarul Islam and former chief executive officer Waseem Ajmal, along with multiple other accused persons.
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The case, which dates back several years, has seen multiple legal developments, including transfers between investigative agencies and partial discharges of accused individuals over time. The latest ruling brings closure for the prime minister’s family members involved in the proceedings.