ISLAMABAD:The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday granted 14-day protective bail to Suleman Shehbaz, the son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Shrif, in money laundering case and NAB reference.
The court stopped the FIA and NAB from arresting the petitioner, and instructed Suleman Shehbaz to approach the relevant courts in Lahore for the relief in the above cases.
Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard the case filed by Suleman Shehbaz through his counsel Amjad Pervaiz who appeared before the bench.
The petitioner adopted the stance that he went abroad in 2018 and this case was prepared in his absence in 2020. He said that he had not received any call up notice from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in money laundering case. The court also initiated the proceeding in his absence for declaring him absconder, he added.
Suleman Shehbaz prayed the bench to grant him protective bail so that he may appear before the relevant court. On the query of the bench, the petitioner said that he wanted to appear before the court of special judge central Lahore.
After listening arguments, the court granted 14-day protective bail to Suleman Shehbaz and instructed him to appear before the relevant forum within the time.
Meanwhile, a two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq also granted Suleman Shehbaz 14 days protective bail in NAB reference pertaining assets beyond known sources of income.
Previously, the IHC bench had stopped the agencies from arresting Suleman Shehbaz till December 13, so that he may appear before it in person after his return to Pakistan. He had approached the IHC on December 8, in this regard.
Talking to newsmen outside the court, Suleman Shehbaz said that the world had seen the reality of PTI’s chief Imran Khan that how he had played games with the country and his family.
He further said that the former chairman NAB justice (retd.) Javed Iqbal had been a stigma on the accountability system as he was responsible to prepare a false case against him.
PML-N leader and Interior Minister Rana Sanuallah had been acquitted after a false case of heroin was made against him, he added.
Suleman Shehbaz said that the Sharif family was targeted for political revenge. The country had now a fair environment, he said, adding that PTI leader Shehzad Akbar had fled from the country.