Assets, money-laundering case: Shahbaz, Hamza, family indictment likely on 11th

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif, his son Hamza Shahbaz, and other family members are likely to be indicted in money-laundering and assets beyond means reference on Nov 11. Accountability Court Judge Jawadul Hassan, while announcing the date for indictment of the accused in the reference, also dismissed a plea of Nusrat Shahbaz, wife of Shahbaz Sharif, seeking exemption from personal appearance due to medical reasons.

The court directed Nusrat to appear before the court on the next hearing. The jail authorities produced father-son duo -- Shahbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz -- before the court in an armoured vehicle amid tight security, as heavy contingent of the law-enforcers had cordoned off the accountability court premises.

A large number of party leaders and workers were also present. PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz also visited her uncle and cousin in the courtroom. As the hearing commenced, the judge asked about the security report, which was previously sought from the Home Department. However, he was informed that no one had appeared from the Home Department.

The judge asked his staff to call the home secretary to submit the required report or appear before the court in person. The Police Department submitted its report regarding the security situation and placing of barricades on roads connecting the accountability courts. NAB Lahore also submitted a report regarding jail trial of the reference. NAB stated that to conduct jail trial of any reference was discretion of the court and the Bureau would follow the court orders in letter and spirit.

The NAB prosecutor also handed over copies of statements of approvers to the accused. Shahbaz Sharif, while addressing the judge, stated that previously the court had ordered for provision of physiotherapist, but the authorities had not implemented the court orders yet. He stated that approvers in their statement had not said a single thing against him.

To which, the judge remarked whether that was not a good thing, and that he (Shahbaz) should enjoy it. Shahbaz promptly replied that then it (reference) should be disposed of and he should be granted leave/acquittal.

The judge remarked that the trial had not been started yet. The court, after handing over of copies of the approver statements to the accused including Shahbaz, Hamza and 10 others, adjourned the hearing till Nov 11 for indictment of the accused.

In the reference, NAB had alleged that the Shahbaz family’s assets swelled from Rs2 million to Rs7,000 million in the last 30 years, which the family failed to justify. NAB alleged that Shahbaz, in connivance with his co-accused family members, Benamidars, front men, close associates, employees and moneychangers, developed an organised system of money-laundering for accumulation of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, to the tune of Rs7,328 million.

NAB nominated Shahbaz, his wife Nusrat Shahbaz, sons Hamza Shahbaz, Suleman Shahbaz, daughters Rabia Imran and Javeria Ali in the reference. Suleman Shahbaz and his sister Rabia Imran have been declared proclaimed offenders in the case already.

The other nominated accused include Nisar Ahmad, Syed Muhammad Tahir Naqvi, Ali Muhammad Khan, Qasim Qayyum, Rashid Karamat, Masroor Anwer, Muhammad Usman, Fazal Dad Abbasi, Muhammad Shoaib Qamar and Haroon Yousafzai.

NAB also accepted requests from four people for becoming approvers against the Shahbaz family in the reference including Muhammad Mushtaq alias Mushtaq Cheeni, his son Yasir Mushtaq, Shahid Rafique and Aftab Ahmad. It has been learnt that the reference consists of 25,000 pages and 55 volumes.