PTI calls acquittal of PM, son ‘slap in nation’s face’

PTI member says 'laundered money' belongs to the people

LAHORE:

The PTI on Wednesday termed the acquittal of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz in a Rs16 billion money laundering case by a special court a “slap in the nation’s face by the judicial system” of the country.

In November 2020, the FIA had booked Shehbaz and his two sons, Hamza and Suleman under Sections 419, 420, 468, 471, 34 and 109 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, read with Section 3/4 of Anti-Money Laundering Act.

PTI Chairman and former premier Imran Khan while addressing a gathering in Sharaqpur said the acquittal had covered up the father-son duo’s “theft worth billions of rupees”.

In a tweet, PTI senior leader Fawad Chaudhry said “money laundering of Rs24 billion had been passed over for Hamza and Shehbaz”.

“[It is] another slap of the judicial system in the nation’s face,” he said.

"On one hand, [they] are seeking funds for flood victims [while] on the other one family has looted billions of rupees."

Fawad said the “laundered money” belonged to the people of Pakistan.

Another PTI leader Maleeka Bokhari also expressed her annoyance over the decision in her tweet saying "country's major criminals" and "convicted thieves" had been "respectfully acquitted".

“Pakistanis, congratulations on the ‘demise of justice’,” she tweeted.

However, PTI's Parliamentary Leader in Sindh Khurrum Sher Zaman maintained that he was not surprised at the acquittal of PM Shehbaz and Hamza.

“[I am] not surprised at the acquittal of Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza in the money laundering case. The prosecution's strings are in the hands of the imported government. We could foresee their purpose of coming to power from the very start," Zaman tweeted.

“Resignation of the FIA DG and absence of witnesses is the real sign of nepotism. Now no one is there to ask how billions [of rupees] were transferred in the employees’ accounts,” he added.