Hearing in money laundering case against Shahbaz’s family adjourned

LAHORE: An accountability court in Lahore on Monday adjourned till Sept 29 the hearing in the money laundering reference involving the family members of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif.

During the proceedings, the court heard arguments from both parties.

Speaking to media outside the court, Shabaz said that the incumbent government was taking political revenge from PML-N.

“I have always served the people of Punjab with sincerity,” he added.

The Rs8 billion reference — involving Shahbaz, his two sons and other family members — was filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in August this year.

A total of 20 people had been nominated in the reference, including four approvers — Yasir Mushtaq, Muhammad Mushtaq, Shahid Rafiq and Aftab Mahmood.

The reference accused Shahbaz of being beneficiary of assets held in the name of his family members and benamidars, who had no sources to acquire such assets.

It said the family members and benamidars of the Shahbaz family received fake foreign remittances of billions in their personal bank accounts. In addition to these remittances, the bureau said, billions of rupees were laundered by way of foreign pay orders, which were deposited in personal bank accounts of Hamza and Suleman.