FIA moves court seeking day-to-day, contempt proceedings against Shehbaz

PML-N president terms FIA's move 'an attempt to affect opposition's long march'

LAHORE:

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday sought contempt and day-to-day proceedings against five accused including Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif over not only interrupting the court and submitting irrelevant applications to escape from charge framing but also wasting its precious time.

As the proceedings commenced, the special central court judge, extending pre-arrest bails by March 10 of accused Shehbaz and his son Hamza Shehbaz in alleged money laundering case, sought arguments from both sides on FIA’s application wherein day-to-day proceeding was sought.

The Sharif family’s counsel Senator Azam Nazir Tarar termed the FIA’s move as an attempt to affect the long march which the opposition parties have planned to oust Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Read more: Shehbaz ‘ringleader’ of money laundering gang: Akbar

It is worth mentioning that the Special Court Central was hearing pre-arrest bails of the aforementioned accused persons in the alleged money laundering case of Rs25 billion.

Tarar argued that it seemed the FIA is in a hurry that is why they submitted an application for day-to-day proceedings. He argued that the only purpose of the FIA behind the move is to affect the long march of the opposition parties.

Meanwhile, FIA’s prosecutor told the court that the accused persons have been delivered case copies that are visible to read. However, the central court judge observed that the first charges will be framed then the application for day-to-day proceedings will be decided.

Contempt proceedings

Meanwhile, the FIA submitted another application seeking contempt proceedings against five accused including Shehbaz.

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The FIA submitted that Shehbaz not only interrupted the court, submitted irrelevant applications merely to linger on the matter but also wasted the court’s precious time.

The FIA contended that in earlier proceedings the charges were to be framed on accused Shehbaz and Hamza but the opposition leader in NA interrupted the court and started a long speech as a result of which the court’s precious time was wasted.

It said that most irrelevant applications were also filed merely to linger on the matter and to escape from charge framing. The FIA further contended in its petition that the accused person’s act falls under contempt of court. The investigation agency asked the court to initiate contempt proceedings against the aforementioned accused.

Pre-arrest bails

Petitioners Shehbaz and Hamza in their bails had contended that the version of the FIA has nothing to do with reality. They submitted that they had been implicated in forged case merely to humiliate them and the allegations levelled on them by the concerned quarters are quite false and incorrect.

They implored the court that the FIA issued them notice of June 22 to join the investigation while the truth is that the NAB had already carried investigation on the same allegation of money laundering.

They added that they wanted to appear before the investigation team but they feared being arrested at the hands of FIA as there are examples relating to their arrests when they had been summoned in different cases but arrested in another matter.