Shehbaz Sharif freed from Kot Lakhpat jail

LAHORE: A day after the Lahore High Court (LHC) approved his bail in a money laundering case, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif was released from Kot Lakhpat Jail on Friday.

A large number of PML-N supporters welcomed the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly as he came out of the prison. He was driven to his Model Town residence where PML-N leaders, including vice president Maryam Nawaz, arrived to greet him on his release from the prison after nearly seven months.

An accountability court earlier today issued a release order of Shehbaz.

“The bail bonds as per direction of the Hon’ble Lahore High Court, Lahore have been accepted by this court,” read the release order, directing the jail superintendent to free him on bail from judicial custody, if he is not required in any other case.

On Thursday, a three-member bench headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi and comprising Justice Aalia Neelum and Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi announced a unanimous verdict, granting bail to Shehbaz.

Last week, the court had approved Shehbaz’s bail against two surety bonds of Rs5 million each, but the matter was forwarded to Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan after the bench came up with a split decision.

Later, the CJ LHC had formed the three-member bench to hear the bail petition of Shehbaz Sharif.