The Islamabad High Court (IHC) barred on Thursday the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from arresting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's son Suleman Shehbaz, Aaj News reported.

Suleman is expected to return to Pakistan this week after four years of self-exile in London.

On Wednesday, Suleman had filed a plea before the IHC, seeking protective bail that would enable him to surrender before a trial court.

Suleman stated in the petition that he is a “businessman” and has never been a public officeholder. He maintained that a “baseless” and “false case of money laundering” has been filed against him.

Money laundering case: Suleman Shehbaz seeks protective bail before returning to country

During the hearing on Wednesday, Chief Justice Aamer Farooq asked Suleman to surrender before the court by December 13 and barred the FIA from arresting him until then.

The lawyer said that Suleman was returning to Islamabad via Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

Suleman went to London ahead of the 2018 general elections when the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) registered several cases against him.

The FIA also registered a case against Shehbaz and his sons, Hamza and Suleman in November 2020 under Sections 419, 420, 468, 471, 34, and 109 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and r/w 3/4 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

They claimed that money laundering of Rs16.3 billion was committed during 2008-18 through these accounts. The FIA had examined the money trail of 17,000 credit transactions. The report had added up that the amount was kept in hidden accounts and given to Shehbaz in a personal capacity.