NAB seizes assets of Shehbaz’s family members, others in money laundering case

Shehbaz claims he a target of 'political revenge'

LAHORE:

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday seized assets of six accused, including family members of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif, in a money laundering case.

An accountability court in Lahore resumed the hearing of the case today. The leader of the opposition in the National Assembly and his son Hamza Shehbaz were produced before the court by jail authorities.

During the hearing, the Lahore director-general NAB submitted a report before the court through the investigating officer.

According to the report, NAB seized the assets of Shehbaz’s wife Nusrat Shehbaz, son Suleiman Shehbaz, daughter Rabia Imran and son-in-law Haroon Yousaf.

Shehbaz prayed upon the court that he was suffering from a backache and his medical check-up for cancer and his stomach was also due.

“I was given my [previous] medical reports after one month,” Shehbaz complained. “The decision of life and death is taken by God, but this is just political revenge being taken on the behest of someone else.”

After hearing Shehbaz’s arguments, the judge remarked that Shehbaz should provide details of his complaints in writing to the court. “I will conduct a separate hearing on them,” the judge said.

Lawyers for Shahbaz and Hamza completed the cross-examination of a NAB witness, after which the court summoned two more witnesses, Ibrahim Malik and Muhammad Sharif, to record their statements and adjourned the hearing till January 4.

On December 9, an accountability court had declared the PML-N president's wife an absconder in the money laundering and assets beyond means case.

During the case proceedings, the prosecutor stated that one month had passed since the summons were issued but Nusrat failed to appear before the court.

Shehbaz’s son, daughter, and son-in-law among others have already been declared absconders in the case.

In November, one of the approvers against Shehbaz in a money laundering and assets beyond means case claimed that he carried out 24 money laundering transactions for the Shehbaz family between 2008 and 2009.