Pak PM Shehbaz Sheriff, son acquitted in money laundering case

Lahore: In a money laundering case involving Rs 16 billion, a Lahore special court acquitted Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sheriff and his son, Hamza Shehbaz, Dawn reported.

Judge Ijaz Hassan Awan announced the verdict, which was reserved earlier on the day.

Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency told the court on Tuesday that there was no direct transaction detected in the bank accounts of PM Shehbaz and his son from benami or unnamed accounts.

It was in November 2020 the FIA booked Shehbaz and his two sons, Hamza and Suleman. The three were charged with Sections 419, 420, 468, 471, 34 and 109 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, along with Section 3/4 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

The court had declared Suleman a proclaimed offender after he kept being absent in the trial proceedings.

The Prime Minister expressed his relief on social media. Taking to Twitter, he thanked God for the favourable verdict and said that the case was false, baseless and politically revenge-based. He said that they stand vindicated in front of the court, law and nation.

His son and former Punjab chief minister, Hamza, tweeted that the truth emerged victorious. He said that he was detained in the case for 22 years.

PML-N leader Talal Chaudhry reacted to the verdict positively. He said that the day was a day of victory and reflection.

PML-N said in a separate tweet that another fabricated case of political victimisation reached its inevitable end.

However, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhary responded to the verdict that it was a “slap on the nation’s face”, Dawn quoted.

He said that on the one hand, they (the PM and other accused) sought funds for the flood victims, and the family looted billions of rupees on the other. He added that the laundered money belongs to the people.