Shehbaz remanded in NAB custody for 14 days

NA opposition leader appears in Lahore’s accountability court amid heightened security

LAHORE:

An accountability court has remanded the PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif in the custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for two weeks to allow the top graft buster probe into a money laundering and assets beyond means case.

NAB arrested the PML-N leader a day earlier – on Monday – after the Lahore High Court (LHC) dismissed a petition seeking extension in his bail and Shehbaz was presented before the judge of an accountability court in Lahore on Tuesday amid heightened security.

Heavy contingents of police and Punjab Rangers were deployed around the court premises and all routes leading to the judicial complex were cordoned off with shipping containers, barriers and barbed wire. Water cannons had also been deployed to avert any chaotic situation.

When the proceedings started, Shehbaz sought permission from the presiding judge to issue a verbal statement on his arrest.

“Our father's assets were distributed while we were in exile [in Saudi Arabia from 2000 till 2007]. I distributed my assets to my children when I returned to Pakistan. The accusation regarding the increase of my children’s assets is due to that fact that I was a public officeholder,” he said.

Shehbaz, who is also leader of opposition in the National Assembly, claimed that in 2017 when he was Punjab chief minister, the chief secretary sent him a summary on sugar subsidy.

“I was told that sugar can be exported and the government should give a subsidy of Rs15 per kg on it. I wrote to the chief secretary that I would not give any subsidy and asked him to refer the matter to the federal government.

“In December 2017, the federal government announced a subsidy of Rs10 per kg on sugar and I was told to give the subsidy which I refused. My son [Suleman Shehbaz, who also owns sugar mills] lost Rs900 million due to this move,” he said.

In reply to a court query, the PML-N leader said due to his decision the government managed to save billions of rupees which were spent on health and education. This is part of the record, he added.

The PML-N leader reiterated that ‘NAB-Niazi nexus’ was behind his arrest.

A phrase coined by Shehbaz, ‘NAB-Niazi nexus’ refers to the alleged collusion between NAB and Prime Minister Imran Khan [Niazi’s] government to victimise political opponents.

“This NAB-Niazi nexus is exacting revenge on me but we will fight,” he said.

“I have served in three departments of this (Punjab) province. I have not done corruption worth a single dime,” he said. During the arguments, Shehbaz presented a booklet about development works undertaken during his tenure. This notebook was allowed to be made part of the record.

 According to the anti-graft body, Shehbaz laundered billions of rupees from various anonymous accounts through his front men, employees and money changers.

 NAB said Shehbaz’s assets in 1990 were worth Rs2.1 million whereas his assets and those of his children were worth Rs18 million in 1998.

 Shehbaz and his sons set up nine business units from 2008 to 2018. An inquiry was launched against Shehbaz after receiving a complaint from the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) Financial Monitoring Unit.

 A day earlier, Shehbaz’s second counsel, Amjad Pervez, had argued that NAB claimed that the assets of Shehbaz’s family had phenomenally increased. However, this increase in assets had taken place at a juncture when these members ceased to be dependent upon the petitioner.

 He had told the LHC that NAB prepared a reference consisting of 58 volumes, but no substantial documentary evidence was available to establish Shehbaz Sharif’s guilt and the reference contains nothing but the investigation officer’s (IO) opinions.

“No statements of any witnesses and accused persons have been recorded under Section 161 and 164 the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). Shehbaz Sharif was not summoned at that time when statements of ‘NAB approvers’ were recorded before the magisterial court,” he had argued.

An approver is an accomplice to a crime being tried who gives evidence for the prosecution