NAB summons Shahbaz in money-laundering case today

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau has summoned PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif in a money-laundering case today (Friday), Geo News reported. The NAB has sought details of properties inherited by the PML-N leader. The Bureau has said from 1998 to 2018, Shahbaz’s family assets grew from Rs23 million to Rs549 billion. “As a public office holder Shahbaz needs to explain the increase in his assets,” it said. It also asked Shahbaz to submit bank details along with the loan taken from Barclays Bank from 2005 to 2007. Furthermore, the NAB has also sought details of all the gifts received and given by the family, details of agriculture income from 2008 to 2019 and details about the utilisation of Shahbaz’s Model Town residence as chief minister’s camp house.

Last year in December, the NAB had issued orders to freeze 23 properties belonging to the former chief minister and his sons Hamza and Salman over the allegation that they acquired assets beyond their means and committed money-laundering.

According to the accountability bureau, an investigation against Shahbaz, Hamza, Salman and others for the offence of “corruption and corrupt practices” had revealed that Shahbaz had acquired properties in the name of his wives Nusrat Shahbaz Sharif and Tehmina Durrani. Among the properties frozen are nine plots in Lahore’s Johar Town, four in Judicial Colony, two houses in Model Town and as many houses in DHA. Furthermore, the Bureau has also frozen a cottage and a villa in Pir Sohawa and two more plots in Chiniot.