A Lahore Court Has Acquitted Prime Minister Shehbaz And His Son Hamza In A Rs16 Billion Money Laundering Case

Shehbaz Sharif & his son, Hamza Shehbaz, have been charged with money laundering in the amount of Rs16 billion.

Judge Ijaz Hassan Awan read out the brief ruling, which had been retained earlier in the day.

During Tuesday's hearing, the FIA informed the court that no direct transactions from benami (unnamed) accounts had been made in the savings accounts of PM Shehbaz and his son.

In November 2020, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) charged Shehbaz and his two sons, Hamza and Suleman, under Sections 419, 420, 468, 471, 34, and 109 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, as well as Section 3/4 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

Suleman was declared a professed violator by the court due to his frequent absence from the trial proceedings.

In an interview with DawnNewsTV, PML-N leader Talal Chaudhry referred to the verdict as a "PML-victory," N's claiming that "such fabricated instances were obligated to be exposed one day.

Today is a victory and reflection day, he added.

Meanwhile, the PML-N said in a tweet on its official Twitter account that Another fabricated case formed for political victimization comes to an end.

The verdict, according to PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, is a slap in the face to the nation.

On the one hand, [they are] attempting to raise funds for flood relief. One family, on the other hand, has pilfered billions of rupees Fawad went on to say that the money that had been laundered did belong to the citizens of the country.

At the start of today's hearing, Advocate Amjad Pervez, who reflects PM Shehbaz and former Punjab chief minister Hamza, asked the court to grant the premier another exempt status from the hearing due to unavoidable official obligations.

On Tuesday, the court granted a similar request.

Pervez informed Judge Awan that neither of the eyewitness accounts testified against the Prime Minister or his son. He accused the officer in charge of the investigation of attempting to present "twisted declarations" from witnesses.

He chastised the FIA, claiming that the cases were brought "on the grounds of malice."

Based on the law, the plaintiff must prove its case, he said, adding that the trial had yet to provide any evidence on the bribery charge.

Farooq Bajwa, an FIA special prosecutor, told the judge that co-suspect Masroor Anwar had been trying to operate Shehbaz Sharif's bank account and that all benami accounts were run by Ramzan Sugar Mills employees.

He claimed that the profile of another suspect, Gulzar Ahmed, was still active after his death.

Bajwa responded that there was no proof in the available records.

The judge reserved his decision in the case after hearing arguments from both sides.

On Tuesday, the judge first asked the defendant how many financial assets were opened in the name of co-defendant Malik Maqsood Ahmad, a peon at Ramzan Sugar Mills who died while on the run.