LAHORE: A special court (offences in bank) on Monday extended the interim pre-arrest bail of Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz in an inquiry of sugar scam and money laundering.

Earlier a proxy counsel told the court that lead counsel Amjad Pervez could not appear due to his appearance before the Lahore High Court. He sought a long adjournment in the proceedings as the session of the National Assembly was set to be resumed.

Presiding Judge Qaiser Nazir Butt extended the bail of both till September 04 and directed the investigating officer to submit a complete investigation report.

In the sugar scam, Shehbaz and his sons Hamza and Suleman were booked by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in November 2020 under sections 419, 420, 468, 471, 34 and 109 of the PPC and 5(2) and 5(3) of Prevention of Corruption Act and r/w 3/4 of Anti Money Laundering Act.

Later, the father and son duo appeared before an accountability court in money laundering, Ramzan Sugar Mills and Ashiana Housing Scheme.

A duty judge marked their attendance and adjourned further proceedings till September 16.

Shehbaz talking to media persons said that during the Imran Khan’s regime political victimization was at its peak. He said his family had been implicated in multiple cases under similar charges and added the federal government by not appointing regular judges to the accountability courts wanted to influence the cases against the opposition leaders. Several leaders of PML-N and workers gathered outside the courts to express solidarity with their party leaders.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021