ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday granted 14-day protective bail to Suleman Shehbaz, son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who recently returned to Pakistan after over four years of self-exile in UK.
He was granted 14-day protective bail in two separate cases of money laundering and accumulating assets beyond known sources of income. He was declared proclaimed offender in both the cases. The court directed Suleman Shehbaz to appear within 14-days before the relevant court hearing the money laundering case as well as NAB reference regarding assets-beyond-means cases against him. During the hearing of both the cases, Suleman Shehbaz appeared before the court alongside his lawyer Amjad Pervez.
To a query by the IHC Chief Justice, Suleman Shehbaz’s lawyer Amjad Pervez, stated that his client has to appear before the court of special judge central, Lahore, which is hearing a Rs16-billion money laundering case against him. Besides, another reference regarding assets-beyond-means was pending before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Suleman Shehbaz, in his petition, before the IHC, contended that he left Pakistan in 2018 and the money laundering case was registered against him in 2020. He also contended that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had not issued a call-up notice to him, and got him declared a proclaimed offender without any action.
On last hearing, the IHC had directed Suleman Shehbaz to surrender before it by December 13 and barred authorities from arresting him till then. Suleman Shehbaz is an accused in a money laundering case registered with the FIA, while the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has nominated him in an assets-beyond-means reference.
Later, talking to media persons at the IHC, Suleman Shehbaz said former Prime Minister Imran Khan had attempted to exert pressure on then FIA Director General Bashir Memon to target his political rivals. He said National Crime Agency of UK had also acquitted him and his father in a case related to suspicious bank transactions. He said it was a ‘slap on the face’ of Imran Khan.