LAHORE: A special court in Lahore probing money laundering case against Sharif family Monday rejected FIA’s plea for cancellation of Shehbaz Sharif’s bail and exempted him from appearance in today’s proceedings, ARY NEWS reported.
The court however directed the opposition leader to join the indictment proceedings against him on April 11.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif’s counsel Amjad Parvez on Monday sought more time to plead against Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) ‘s request for bail cancellation in money laundering case against the younger Sharif.
During a hearing at a Lahore court, all suspects in the case registered their attendance while exemption was sought for Shehbaz Sharif, whose counsel said that he has been summoned in the Supreme Court and therefore he could not attend the proceeding.
However, the FIA counsel argued that the court has summoned the counsel of PML-N not Shehbaz Sharif. To this Amjad Parvez said that Shehbaz Sharif had to file petition against dissolution of the assembly.
The FIA counsel said that the suspect should be present to get an interim bail from the court and therefore keeping in view his absence, the court should cancel his bail.
Amjad Parvez, however, asked the court to give him more time to argue against bail cancellation before the court.
On March 26, PML-N President and Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif got an extension in his bail despite his failure to appear before the court in money laundering case via sugar mills.
The special judge central while deciding the bail plea in the money laundering case said in its written order that Shehbaz Sharif sought exemption from appearance during the hearing.
The law requires the accused to appear before the court for interim bail, it said and added that in case of failure to appear before the court, the bail plea is rejected.
It, however, said that since Shehbaz Sharif is in Islamabad to attend National Assembly session as opposition leader therefore the court allows him to perform his responsibility as an MNA.
