Money laundering case: FIA gives clean chit to PM’s son

LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday gave a clean chit to Suleman Shehbaz, son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in the Rs16 billion money laundering case.

Suleman, who returned to Pakistan in December after a four-year self-exile in London, was named in the corruption case registered with the FIA while his father PM Shehbaz and brother Hamza Shehbaz had already been acquitted in the case.

A special court in Lahore granted interim bail to Suleman in the money laundering case on December 23, 2022, against bail bonds of Rs100,000 when he filed a bail plea stating that the court needed to fulfil legal procedures before declaring him an absconder. Before his return to Pakistan, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had restrained the FIA from arresting him.

During Saturday’s hearing at the Special Court (Central), the investigation agency submitted a supplementary challan stating Suleman and co-accused Tahir Naqvi were “not found guilty”.

The court was hearing Suleman’s pre-arrest bail plea. However, during the hearing, advocate Amjad Parvez informed the court that Suleman and Naqvi wanted to withdraw their bail pleas submitted earlier.

Authorities submitted a charge sheet against Suleman to the extent of money laundering allegations. In the light of the challan submitted by FIA, the court asked Suleman if he wanted to withdraw his guarantees submitted to the special court in the graft case. Following the arguments, the court allowed the premier’s son to withdraw his interim bail application. The court also summoned Suleman Shehbaz for trial next month.

Last year in December, the businessman returned to his homeland after four years of self-exile in London. On his arrival, the IHC bench granted him 14-day protective bail and directed him to appear before the Special Court.

Suleman Shehbaz earlier maintained that he had left for the UK in 2018 after the case was lodged in 2020, two years after he had left the homeland.

Reacting to the development, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Vice-President Fawad Chaudhry said the incumbent government’s “only purpose” is to end the cases against its members.

“Since this government has come to power, they have only one purpose [which is] to end their cases,” Fawad said while speaking to a private channel. He maintained that Suleman getting the clean chit is also linked to it.

Fawad further added that PTI would challenge Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice-President Maryam Nawaz, PM Shehbaz and others’ acquittal in various cases, in the Supreme Court. He said that a plea in this regard will be filed in the apex court on Monday.