Court extends Hamza's physical remand for 14 days

LAHORE: An accountability court on Wednesday extended physical remand of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Hamza Shehbaz for further 14 days in the assets beyond means and money laundering case.

Accountability Court Judge Ameer Muhammad Khan conducted the proceedings, wherein Hamza Shehbaz was also produced on expiry of his physical remand period.

National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) Prosecutor Hafiz Asadullah requested the court for extending physical remand of Hamza Shehbaz for another 15 days, saying  he was not cooperating in investigations. He submitted that Hamza had served 28 days on physical remand after his arrest in the case, in response to a court query.

He argued that Hamza Shehbaz purchased a property in Model Town Lahore for  Rs 16.8 million, whereas its actual value was Rs 140 million, and he did not respond to the bureau's questions in connection with that.

The prosecutor submitted that Hamza Shehbaz also failed to apprise the bureau about Rs 55 million, which was transferred in his accounts during 2005-2007. Similarly, he could not satisfy the NAB investigators about the persons who had transferred Rs 180 million to his accounts from abroad, he added.

He submitted that the bureau had sought record of Hamza's account and he would be interrogated further on availability of the record.

However, defence counsel Amjad Pervaiz opposed the remand plea, saying that his client had provided all record to the bureau.

He submitted that Hamza Shehbaz was not a public office holder in 2007-2008, whereas, he received all amounts from abroad through proper channel.

Hamza Shehbaz also submitted that he should be remanded in NAB custody for 90 days to satisfy the bureau.

However, the court observed that it did not have any concern with those things while asking Hamza to restrain himself to the case.

Subsequently, the court accepted NAB's plea and extended physical remand of Hamza till July 24 with a direction for producing him on expiry of the remand term.

The NAB authorities arrested Hamza after a Lahore High Court division bench, headed by Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, rejected his pre-arrest bail petitions in Ramzan Sugar Mills and assets beyond means cases, on account of being withdrawn.

It is pertinent to mention here that Hamza Shehbaz was on judicial remand in Ramzan Sugar Mills case till July 20.