PM Shehbaz, Hamza file application for unfreezing of company accounts

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz have filed an application in the special central court seeking to unfreeze their company accounts and exemption from personal appearance.

The plea was made in the Rs16 billion money laundering case against PM Shehbaz and former chief minister Hamza Shehbaz.

After the commencement of the court proceedings, an application for exemption from personal appearance was filed, saying that premier Shehbaz Sharif was on an official visit due to which he could not appear before the court.

Bank officials also appeared before the court along with relevant official records. The court had issued a show cause notice to concerned banks in the previous hearing over inaction in freezing bank accounts of Suleman Shehbaz.

The court had adjourned the hearing on September 7 for framing charges in Rs16 billion money laundering case because Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz had failed to appear before the court.

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had registered the case against PM Shehbaz Sharif and his sons Hamza Shehbaz and Suleman Shehbaz in November 2020. The case was registered under sections 419, 420, 468, 471, 34 and 109 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and r/w 3/4 of Anti Money Laundering Act.

A total of 28 benami accounts were released in the FIA report showing Rs16.3 billion money laundering during the period of ten years from 2008 to 2018.