Money laundering, illegal assets: AC may indict Shehbaz, Hamza on next hearing

LAHORE: An accountability court on Monday adjourned to November 11 the proceedings in a money laundering and illegal assets reference against Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, his son Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz as their counsel sought at least one-week time to prepare for framing of the charges.

The court is likely to frame charges on the accused on next date of hearing. The court also dismissed an application of Nusrat, the wife of Shehbaz, seeking permanent exemption from personal appearance in the trial on health reasons. The defence counsel had argued that Nusrat was out of the country for her medical treatment. The court directed the prosecution to start the proceedings to declare her absconder. In compliance with a previous direction by the court, the Director General NAB Lahore also submitted a report on the question of jail trial in the money laundering reference.

The court on previous hearing had sought a report on the possibility of jail trial against the family of Shehbaz in view of Covid-19 and hardships of the public on roads. The DG in his report said the court had the power to hold jail trial of any case. He said the bureau will leave no stone unturned for coming to the expectations for earliest disposal of the cases.

Earlier, the prosecutor of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) submitted copies of the statements of its four approvers before the court. Shehbaz, after receiving the copies, said his name was nowhere mentioned in the statements of the approvers recorded before the magistrate.

"It will benefit you in the trial," the presiding judge said to him. Shehbaz complained that he had not been provided the facility of physiotherapy in the jail despite a permission granted by the court. He further said that a medical board of Jinnah Hospital was also yet to examine him.

The PML-N president told the judge that he had been suffering from a severe backache as he was unable to sit in the armoured personnel vehicle (APC). "The pain does not allow me to sit neither in the jail lockup nor in the APC," he said, adding the vehicle he travelled on from the jail to the court was very uncomfortable for him.

The court advised the opposition leader to file a fresh application in this regard which would be decided as per the law. The defence counsel submitted medical reports of Shehbaz and Hamza stating that the latter also had a complaint of sciatica.

The jail authorities had produced the duo before the court in two separate (APCs) and strict security measures were taken outside the judicial complex. PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz also reached the judicial complex to meet her uncle Shehbaz and cousin Hamza as the party claimed she had not been allowed to visit them in the jail. Responding to the journalists, she condemned the authorities for bringing the opposition leaders to the court in the APCs saying the government was scared of democratic leaders.

She also condemned the police torture on the journalists outside the court premises. Senior leaders of the PML-N including secretary general Ahsan Iqbal, information secretary Mariam Aurangzeb and Azma Bokhari were also present in the court.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020