Lawyers get 'last chance' to argue on court's jurisdiction

LAHORE: A special court for banking offences on Friday adjourned the money laundering case against Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz till Jan 4.

Judge Sardar Tahir Sabir resumed hearing of the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) application challenging the jurisdiction of the special court to hear the case.

Also Read: FIA submits details of 45 bank accounts of Shehbaz Sharif, sons

At the outset of the hearing, lawyers representing the father-son duo and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) sought time to prepare their arguments. The court adjourned the hearing until Jan 4, giving them a last chance to advance their arguments on the matter.

The FIA had earlier questioned the jurisdiction of the special court for banking offences to entertain the matter.

Shehbaz and his sons, Hamza and Suleman are facing the money laundering and sugar scam. The FIA has submitted the case challan listing as many as 100 witnesses including scrap dealers, hardware and sanitary shop owners.

Also Read: NAB opposes Hamza Shehbaz’s acquittal plea

The challan also includes witnesses from construction companies, dairy farms, general stores, oxygen cylinder vendors, engineers, lawyers, bankers, doctors, and officials of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and FIA.

At the previous hearing, the court had extended Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz bail until Jan 4.