Money laundering case: PM Shehbaz Sharif to appear before court tomorrow

LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will appear before the special court hearing a money laundering case against him and Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shahbaz on Saturday (tomorrow), ARY NEWS reported.

According to sources, Shehbaz Sharif will appear before special judge central after he had skipped the previous four proceedings to indict him in the money laundering case.

During the last hearing, the prime minister approached the Lahore court seeking an exemption from personal appearance in the money laundering case.

PM Shehbaz has submitted an application to Lahore special court through his counsel advocate Amjad Pervez. The plea stated that his client couldn’t turn up before court as Shehbaz Sharif was in London on a private visit for his medical checkup.

He, therefore, requested the court to grant him exemption from personal appearance.

The court then granted Shehbaz Sharif an exemption from personal appearance in the money laundering case and adjourned the hearing till May 21.

FIA refuses to pursue trial against Shehbaz

Earlier, it emerged that Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had refused to persue a trial into the money laundering case against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shahbaz.

While detailing messaging from the top official of the FIA, the special prosecutor said that he was barred from the DG FIA from appearing before the court hearing the money laundering case against Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz.

Special Judge Central Aijaz Hasan led the hearing today where Special Prosecutor of the FIA Sikander Zulqarnain submitted that he has been asked by the DG FIA through an investigation officer to leave the case.

Read More: MONEY LAUNDERING CASE: INDICTMENT AGAINST SHEHBAZ SHARIF, HAMZA DEFERRED

“It was conveyed that the DG no longer wanted to pursue the case,” he said in his written request which was later made part of the record of the case by the court.

The judge rejected the FIA’s plea and directed the younger Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz to appear before the court on May 14 for indictment proceedings.