The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday granted 14-day protective bails to Suleman Shehbaz, the son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in the money laundering case and NAB reference.
The court stopped the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and NAB from arresting the petitioner, instructing Suleman to approach the relevant courts in Lahore for relief in the above cases.
Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard the case filed by Suleman through his counsel Amjad Pervaiz who appeared before the bench.
The petitioner adopted the stance that he went abroad in 2018 and this case was prepared in his absence in 2020.
He said that he had not received any call-up notice from the FIA in the money laundering case. The court also initiated the proceeding in his absence for declaring him an absconder, he added.
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Suleman prayed the bench to grant him protective bail so that he may appear before the relevant court.
On the query of the bench, the petitioner said that he wanted to appear before the court of special judge central Lahore. After listening to the arguments, the court granted 14-day protective bail to Suleman, instructing him to appear before the relevant forum within the time.
Meanwhile, a two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq also granted Suleman 14-day protective bail in the NAB reference pertaining assets beyond known sources of income.
Previously, the IHC bench had stopped the agencies from arresting Suleman till December 13, so that he may appear before it in person after his return to Pakistan.
He had approached the IHC on December 8, in this regard.
Talking to media persons outside the court, Suleman said that the world had seen the reality of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan that how he had played games with the country and his family.
He said that former NAB chairman justice (retd) Javed Iqbal had been a stigma on the accountability system as he was responsible for preparing a false case against him.
PML-N leader and Interior Minister Rana Sanuallah had been acquitted after a false case of heroin was made against him, he added.
Suleman said that the Sharif family was targeted for political revenge. The country had now a fair environment, he said, adding that PTI leader Shahzad Akbar had fled the country.
(With input from APP)
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