LHC grants bail to Shahbaz Sharif in assets case

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday granted bail to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Shahbaz Sharif in assets beyond known sources of income case.

The court granted bail to the opposition leader in National Assembly against the submission of two surety bonds of Rs5 million each.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor in his arguments before the court said Shahbaz Sharif had no sources of income other than Ramzan sugar mills, which was inherited to him from his parents.

Whatever assets the PML-N president accumulated were made with the TTs. Money was sent after his name from the various fake accounts including of paparwala.

The prosecutor said a massive jump was witnessed in Shahbaz’s assets after 2005.

Is it not the duty of FBR to check sources of income? the court asked the NAB prosecutor. Why the FBR is not investigating the matter?

In his arguments before the LHC, Shahbaz’s counsel said it was the duty of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to find sources of income of Shahbaz not of NAB. Frequent arrests of his client by the NAB show its dishonesty, he added.

Furthermore, he added Shehbaz Sharif is an Opposition Leader in NA and in the current situation he is unable to discharge his constitutional duties.

The court after hearing arguments from both sides had reserved the verdict in Shehbaz’s bail plea which was announced later.

The opposition leader was asked to submit surety bonds of Rs5 million each against his bail.