Money laundering case: ‘Incomplete’ warrants draw court ire

FIA prosecutor says the agency will prepare a new warrant for Salman Shehbaz

LAHORE:

 

The central judge of a Lahore special court on Saturday reprimanded the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) prosecutor over submission of “incomplete” arrest warrants against Suleman Shehbaz, the son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in the money laundering case.

“Who prepared the arrest warrants? The name of Suleman’s father has not been mentioned here,” Judge Ijaz Awan remarked.

The court has initiated proceedings to declare Suleman a proclaimed offender in the case.

Premier Shehbaz, Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz and other accused in the Rs16 billion money laundering case were present in the courtroom during the proceedings.

During the previous hearings, Judge Ijaz, on the request of the FIA, had initiated proceedings to declare three accused, including Suleman, proclaimed offenders.

In the hearing on Saturday, the judge asked about the status of Suleman’s arrest warrants.

The judge also pointed out to the FIA prosecutor, Farooq Bajwa, that the report prepared by the agency regarding the arrest of the premier's son and the other two suspects had a lot of loopholes in it.

The judge said that on the one hand, the report states that D-41 Model Town does not exist as an address and on the other it states that the accused is not in the country.

The FIA prosecutor apprised the court that the address did exist but the suspect could not be found at the said location.

Read Court unable to indict Shehbaz, Hamza in money laundering case

The judge remarked that the report had also failed to mention other routine details about Suleman and another accused as well.

“The FIA will again issue the arrest warrants and submit a fresh report,” the prosecutor said, admitting that there were lacunas in the report.

PM Shehbaz

During the proceedings, PM Shehbaz said that his family's sugar business suffered a lot from his decisions as the Punjab CM, reiterating that he had not even withdrawn his salary as the Punjab’s chief executive for more than 12 years.

“God made me the PM of this country. I have not taken any benefit,” he added, recalling that during his tenure as the CM, the provincial secretary had sent a summary to him for exporting sugar, which he rejected while limiting the commodity’s export.

"My family lost over Rs2 billion due to my decisions. They lost Rs800 million annually because of it.

“I gave subsidies on sugar which were actually in favour of Pakistan but not in the favour of my family. Please do not consider my words in the sense that I am praising myself,” the PM said.

Meanwhile, the prime minister sought permission to leave the court, which was allowed by the judge.