Accountability court grants permanent exemption from appearance to PM Shehbaz in money laundering case

LAHORE, Oct 04 (SABAH): An accountability court on Tuesday granted permission to appoint a representative in the money laundering reference against Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, as it granted the premier permanent exemption from court appearances.

On Tuesday, Lahore Accountability Court Judge Qamar-ul-Zaman heard the plea of PM Shehbaz Sharif and his son, the former Punjab chief minister, Hamza Shehbaz Sharif in the money laundering reference.

The court granted the premier’s request for a permanent attendance waiver and allowed him to appoint a representative who will be designated to appear in court on his behalf.

The court also accepted Hamza’s request for leave but only for one day. He had also filed a request to be excused from attendance permanently, however, the court has requested the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to provide an explanation on the matter.

In a major relief to PM Shehbaz and his son Hamza in September, an accountability court in Lahore had sent the NAB’s Ramzan Sugar Mills reference against them back to the anti-graft body.

Later that month, a special central court judge had fixed October 8 for further arguments on acquittal applications of PM Shehbaz and Hamza in the money laundering case of Rs16 billion.