Assets beyond means, money-laundering references: Court orders provision of all legal facilities to Shahbaz

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: An accountability court Monday adjourned the hearing of assets beyond means and money-laundering references against Shahbaz Sharif’s family till October 13. The National Accountability Bureau produced Shahbaz Sharif before the court, while the jail authorities produced Hamza Shahbaz. Investigation Officer Hamid Javed and NAB Prosecutor Asim Mumtaz represented the NAB.

Deputy Director Sarfraz of the Foreign Office submitted a compliance report to the court on arrest warrants for Nusrat Shahbaz, wife of Shahbaz Sharif, daughter Rabia Imran and son Suleman Shahbaz.

The counsel for the Shahbaz family, Muhammad Nawaz, implored the judge to stop proceedings of declaring Rabia and Nusrat as proclaimed offenders and assured that they would appear before the court. Judge Jawadul Hassan assured the counsel that the court would not initiate proceedings if both appeared before the court.

Meanwhile, Shahbaz Sharif, while addressing the court, said he wanted to register two complaints with the court. He said: “All know that I have back pain issues. NAB officials in a bid to torture me keep my food on the floor and ask me to take it from the floor though I have asked them that I cannot sit on the floor and cannot bend my back. I asked the NAB staff to assist me in putting my chair in the Qibla direction to offer prayers but the staff refused to do so. After which I complained to the NAB DG who issued directions. The NAB staff did all this to torture me.

“I want to say this in the court that all this is happening on the directions of Imran Khan and his advisor Shahzad Akber.” Shahbaz warned that if somethinghappened to him, he would file an FIR against the both.

Responding to Shahbaz’s complaints, the judge said the court would not tolerate any inhumane treatment during detention and that the court's orders would have to be followed in letter and spirit as long as the accused was in custody.

“I will not tolerate any humiliation of prisoners,” the judge showed his resentment. He said all legal facilities should be provided to Shahbaz Sharif. The NAB prosecutor after the court’s remarks said Shahbaz had been kept in a special room and allowed home food. To which, Shahbaz replied that for the first two days, he was kept in the lockup and was shifted to another palace after he complained to the NAB DG.

However, the judge warned he NAB officials that he would take notice if he received such complaints in future. The court adjourned the hearing till October 13, directing the authorities concerned to produce Shahbaz and Hamza on the next hearing. In the courtroom Shahbaz Sharif hugged his son Hamza Shahbaz and inquired after him.

Meanwhile, Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Justice (R) Javed Iqbal Monday took a serious notice of media reports about provision of food to Shahbaz Sharif by the NAB Lahore and ordered a probe to ascertain facts. According to the NAB, Justice (R) Javed Iqbal had already instructed all the regional bureaus to ensure self-respect of every accused in custody as per law.