PM’s son appears before FIA in money-laundering case

Suleman Shehbaz, a son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on Friday appeared before the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in the money-laundering case registered against him.

According to the FIA spokesperson, Suleman has formally joined the investigation of the case registered in FIA Anti-Corruption Circle Lahore regarding benami accounts of Ramadan Sugar Mills. Suleman was given a questionnaire after a preliminary investigation by the agency, to which he asked for some time to answer. He will now submit a written response to questions raised by the FIA regarding the case. The agency furthered that the investigation of the case registered regarding Ramzan Sugar Mills benami accounts is still ongoing.

Earlier this week, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) granted 14-day protective bail to Suleman in the money laundering case and a NAB reference. The court had stopped FIA and NAB from arresting the petitioner, instructing Suleman to approach the relevant courts in Lahore for relief in the above cases.

Suleman returned to Pakistan after spending the past four years in self-imposed exile after the IHC barred agencies from arresting him upon arrival. He had gone abroad in October 2018, after which a case of alleged money laundering was filed against him. Suleman then continued to live in the United Kingdom in self-imposed exile.