Hamza Shehbaz rejects money laundering charges

LAHORE: Opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly, Hamza Shehbaz, on Tuesday denied to have received kickbacks through some agents from 2005 to 2018 as revealed during the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) investigation, ARY News reported.

Speaking to media here, Shehbaz said he was accused of Rs 85 billion money laundering, but, added, it was mere an allegation.

Hamza Shehbaz said he came to know that his entire family had been placed on the Exit Control List (ECL).

He said the NAB questioned him about Rs 180 million kickbacks, ‘however some of the ministers are accusing of me of indulging in corruption of Rs 85 billion.’

Read: DG NAB Lahore tells what Hamza Shehbaz said when inquired about family members

The PML-N leader said he wasn’t a public office holder between 2005 and 2008; hence there was no point of indulging in corruption in capacity of a government functionary.

‘Whatever I did was under the ambit of Pakistan laws and the Constitution,’ he claimed.

He expressed resentment that press conferences were held frequently by his opponents in which they hurl accusations.

He condemned that Shehbaz Sharif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Saad Rafique and Bilawal Bhutto were appearing in court for hearings of cases.

Hamza said the inflation was increasing, but no measures were being taken to contain it.

He said he wasn’t afraid of appearing before NAB, adding ‘if the crises faced by the country could be resolved by summoning him, I am ready to turn up every time I am called.’