Shehbaz’s indictment historic moment: Akbar

PM’s aide says start of money laundering trial reflects veracity of evidence he shared on May 13

LAHORE:

Shahzad Akbar, the prime minister aide on accountability, has described the indictment of PML-N leader Shehbaz Sharif and his family members in a NAB case as a “historic” moment, which, according to him, has proved the veracity of the evidence he had shared with nation six months back.

“Today’s charge sheet against Shehbaz Sharif and his family consisted of 31 pages and 52 paragraphs which indicated that they were involved in plundering national exchequer,” Akbar said, while addressing a press conference in Punjab’s provincial capital on Wednesday.

“The indictment has proved that the evidence and proofs that I shared with the media were real and factual,” Akbar added in a reference to his press conference on May 13.

In that media briefing, the adviser to the prime minister on accountability had claimed that assets of the Shehbaz family had significantly increased in 10 years when the PML-N was ruling in Punjab.

“Shehbaz Sharif had established dozens of paper front companies in employees’ names for money laundering and documentary evidence of all these unlawful transactions has been collected and it would not be easy for him to escape the law,” the adviser had claimed then.

“Today is a historic day,” Akbar said in reference to his earlier claim.

He said the prosecution had produced a number of evidences pertaining to involvement of Shehbaz Sharif, Hamza Shehbaz and others in corruption and money laundering, adding that now the trial would run and the case would come to its logical end soon.

Akbar said in this case, four accused including Suleman Shehbaz, Ali Ahmad, Nisar Gull and Tahir Naqvi had been declared proclaimed offenders and efforts were being made to arrest them.

He reiterated that Rs7.3 billion were looted and transferred through telegraphic transfer (TT).

The TT is no doubt a legal means of transfer money but the Shehbaz, his family and other accused had used the TTs to transfer ill-gotten money to their accounts, he maintained.

He said Mushtaq & Co’s owner Mushtaq and his son Yasir Mushtaq had also become approvers in this case. “They also revealed how they transferred illegal money, earned through kickbacks and corruption, to Shehbaz family’s accounts besides money laundering through the TTs.”

Akbar said other accused including Shahid Mehmood and Aftab owned a money exchange company, while accused Qasim Qayyum was involved in handing over cash to be transferred to the accounts of Shehbaz Sharif and his family members abroad.

“All the evidence and testimonies are available. They will be enough to take this case to its logical end.”

He said counsels for the Shehbaz family never cross examine the witnesses and never answer the questions being asked. They always tried to find an escape by using lame excuses and delaying tactics. “Such tactics would not work as they have to give answers for their corruption,” he said.

Akbar said after the year 2008, Shehbaz Sharif used the TTs to flourish his businesses as he also made payments of his bulletproof vehicle and properties through these TTs.

“In this case, the credentials of more than 70 common people were used to make TTs. The financial conditions of these people were not good enough, which proved the fraud of the Shehbaz family.”

The adviser claimed that the opposition through its ongoing protest movement looked for an NRO – secret reprieve –to protect themselves and their illegal money.

“But even when the government was trying to get oppositions’ support for the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) related bills, Prime Minister Imran Khan had categorically denied offering any NRO.”

To a question, he said the people had given mandate to the PTI for ensuring accountability and transparency. The government under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan is striving to provide an enabling environment for accountability so that prompt justice could be done, he asserted.

To another question, he said former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is a convict and the government had allowed him to go abroad in November last year for medical treatment on humanitarian grounds.

“Now all out efforts are being made to bring him back to the country and talks between Pakistan and British governments are under way in this regard. Deportation is one of the options being considered as Nawaz Sharif’s visa would expire this month.”