LHC extends pre-arrest bail of Shahbaz till 21st

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday extended the interim pre-arrest bail of NA Opposition Leader Shahbaz Sharif in an assets beyond means case till September 21.

Shahbaz along with his lawyer appeared before a two-member bench headed by Justice Sardar Ahmed Naeem and stated that the petitioner’s leading lawyer Azam Nazir Tarar is unable to turn up because he is busy attending a meeting of the Pakistan Bar Council. The lawyer pointed out that Shahbaz was also busy attending the National Assembly’s ongoing session, hence the hearing might be deferred for three weeks. The court turned down the request and adjourned the hearing till September 21. Sharif’s bail petition has not been fixed since July 23 due to summer vacation in the LHC. Talking to media persons, Shahbaz said all party leaders are in unanimity that Nawaz Sharif should return after complete treatment. He said people have been crushed due to price hike. He said his party rendered sacrifices for the supremacy and independence of judiciary and is ready to do it again.

On August 17, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed a Rs 7 billion money laundering and assets beyond means reference against the Shahbaz family including his wife Nusrat Shahbaz, sons Hamza Shahbaz and Suleman Shahbaz and two daughters Rabia Imran and Javeria Ali.