CJ IHC Aamer Farooq grants 14-day protective bail to Suleman Shehbaz Sharif in FIA, NAB cases
ISLAMABAD, Dec 13, (SABAH): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday granted protective bail to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s son Suleman Shehbaz Sharif for 14 days in a money laundering case registered against him by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and an asset beyond means reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Earlier on Tuesday, Suleman Shahbaz appeared before a single-member bench of IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq for bail in the money laundering case.
During the hearing, Justice Farooq asked Suleman’s counsel about the court his client has to appear before.
Muhammad Amjad Pervez Advocate, Suleman’s lawyer, told the IHC CJ that his client has to appear before a special judge central in Lahore.
Justice Farooq, after learning this granted the protective bail to the PM’s son and directed him to appear before the relevant court within 14 days.
In his petition before the IHC, Suleman contended that he left Pakistan in 2018 and the case was registered against him in 2020. He also shared that the FIA had not issued a call-up notice to him, adding that he was declared a proclaimed offender by the court without any action.
Later in the day, Suleman appeared before a divisional bench of IHC to seek bail in the assets beyond means case.
After hearing arguments, the bench approved a 14-day protective bail in the case and directed the accountability watchdog not to arrest him.
Suleman was declared proclaimed offender by a court due to his failure to appear in the case
IHC had earlier ordered Suleman to surrender before it by December 13 and barred authorities from arresting him till then.
The court had issued the order after his client had assured the bench that Suleman would return to the country.
Following the court’s order, Suleman landed in Pakistan after spending over four years of self-exile in the United Kingdom on Sunday.
Addressing the media after the court hearing, Suleman Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday slammed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and said that his time of accountability is here. “The time of accountability is here; we will not spare him. We will not give him any space now, he will be punished,” said Suleman.
Asking about Farah Gogi, a friend of Imran Khan’s wife who allegedly sold the watches gifted to Khan, Suleman wondered why did she run away from Pakistan.
“You are crying that Farah Gogi is not a public office holder. I was not a public office holder either,” said Suleman. He added that PTI chairman, while he was in power, did not even think about women and arrested them. “You had the power, you could have proven the cases,” said Suleman.
The PM’s son also slammed former National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, saying that he was a “black stain” on the accountability system.
Suleman shared that a case was filed at the Pakistani government’s request, during Imran Khan’s tenure, in the United Kingdom. However, he added that the UK’s National Crime Agency found no proof of money laundering against his father.
The PM’s son asked the PTI chief to show the transaction of the money he got from selling the watches gifted by the Saudi crown prince.
Suleman said he had returned to Pakistan and surrendered before the court. “The game pursued by Imran Khan in the last four years is now known to the world,” he added.
He claimed that the former premier attempted to exert pressure on former FIA chief Bashir Memon to target his rivals. “Shahzad Akbar is also absconding because of the injustice he meted out to [political] opponents.”
Suleman highlighted that the UK’s National Crime Agency had also acquitted him and his father in a case related to suspicious bank transactions, terming the development to be a “slap on the face” of the PTI chief.
Suleman hit out at former prime minister Imran Khan for political victimisation of the Sharif family and leaders of the PML-N. While referring to the Daily Mail’s now-withdrawn allegations, he said Shahzad Akbar had been visiting the UK on Mr Khan’s nod to embroil the Sharif family in fake cases. He also accused the PTI chief of blackmailing former NAB chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal to tighten noose around the then opposition parties.
Accusing Imran Khan of massive corruption in his tenure, he also took a jibe at the former premier for selling a precious watch he received as a gift from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. He said the PTI chief had to be answerable for the misuse of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister s helicopter.