Lahore: Framing of charges against Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son and former Punjab chief minister Hamza Shahbaz in a multi-million dollar money laundering case was delayed on Wednesday as he filed a fresh plea seeking acquittal. has done. A special court of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was to frame the charges against the father-son duo in a money laundering case of Rs 1,400 crore on Wednesday, but their lawyers informed the court that their clients had filed for acquittal. is filed.
The advocate requested the Prime Minister to grant a one-time exemption from appearance, saying he cannot attend Wednesday’s proceedings as he is busy with flood relief work. On this, Judge Ijaz Hassan Awan asked the advocate whether the Prime Minister could not come for the hearing even for 10 minutes. In response to this, advocate Amjad Parvez said that the Prime Minister can try to ensure his presence during the next hearing. The judge then adjourned the proceedings to September 17, the day his acquittal plea would be debated.
After the hearing, the lawyer told reporters that since the 70-year-old prime minister and his 48-year-old son have filed for acquittal, the process of framing of charges cannot go on in court. “Now the court will first decide on the acquittal application of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and his son,” he said.
Significantly, both Shahbaz and Hamza are on anticipatory bail in this case. The court has declared Shahbaz’s younger son Sulema Shahbaz as a declared criminal in the case.
The Federal Investigation Agency has registered a case against Prime Minister Shahbaz and his sons Hamza and Suleman under the Anti-Corruption Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Act for alleged money laundering and corruption of 1400 crore Pakistani rupees. Suleiman has been in the UK since 2019. Shahbaz often says that Suleman handles the family business there. The Prime Minister had told the court in a previous hearing that “even though the day of judgment may come, the Federal Investigation Agency will not be able to prove corruption against me for even a single rupee”.
