Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and his circle of relatives acquitted in cash laundering case

An duty court docket in Lahore on Thursday acquitted High Minister Shehbaz Sharif, his son Hamza Shehbaz and spouse Nusrat Shehbaz in Pakistani Rupees (PKR) Rs 8 billion cash laundering reference filed through the Nationwide Responsibility Bureau, reported Break of day.

In August 2020, NAB filed an Rs 8 billion reference of cash laundering in opposition to Shehbaz — who used to be the opposition chief on the time — his two sons and different members of the family. The court docket acquitted Shehbaz Sharif, the entire co-accused, together with his spouse Nusrat Shehbaz, his daughter Javeria Ali, Hamza Shehbaz, Muhammad Usman, Masroor Anwar, Shoaib Qamar, Qasim Qayyum, Rashid Karamat, Ali Ahmed and Nisar Ahmed, apart from for one, in step with Geo Information document.

The court docket issued a perpetual arrest warrant for Shehbaz Sharif’s daughter Rabia Imran. As consistent with the Geo Information document, she were declared absconder within the case.

The court docket’s resolution comes after the accused filed petitions in the hunt for acquittal at the foundation in their argument on NAB’s lack of ability to provide any proof in opposition to them.

The NAB investigators have additionally stated no proof used to be discovered in opposition to them. Whilst pronouncing the decision, the court docket stated that it had no different possibility apart from to acquit the accused as NAB has stated they have got no proof in opposition to them.

In August 2020, the anti-graft watchdog filed the reference for the inquiry underway since 2018, Geo Information reported. On the time, Shehbaz Sharif served because the chief of the opposition within the Pakistan Nationwide Meeting.

NAB arrested Shehbaz Sharif after the Lahore Top Court docket rejected his bail within the case on September 29. An duty court docket indicted Shehbaz Sharif, Hamza Shehbaz, and others accused on November 11, 2020. On the other hand, Shehbaz Sharif used to be launched on bail in April 2021.

Closing week, a different district court docket acquitted Shehbaz Sharif’s son Suleman Shehbaz and others accused in a cash laundering case, Pakistan-based The Categorical Tribune reported.

The verdict got here because the district court docket used to be listening to acquittal pleas filed through Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif’s son, Suleman, and different accused in PKR Rs 16 billion cash laundering case. On the other hand, the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) have previous spoke back to 27 questions requested through the court docket, reported The Categorical Tribune.

All through the listening to, the court docket requested whether or not the FIA had recorded any written observation through any witness all through the probe to which the FIA’s investigation officer (IO) Ali Mardan remained silent. The court docket additional requested about their movements in opposition to those that saved converting their stance all through the investigation.

In line with the document, the investigation officer answered that no motion used to be taken. On the other hand, the FIA legal professional added that there used to be no direct proof in opposition to Suleman relating to cash laundering, The Categorical Tribune reported.

The court docket permitted the pleas submitted through the accused and acquitted Suleman and others from the case. 

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