NAB arrests Shahbaz Sharif after court turns down bail plea

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday arrested the Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, Shahbaz Sharif, after the Lahore High Court dismissed his pre-arrest bail petition in a money laundering and assets beyond means case.

Sharif would be presented before an accountability court on Tuesday (today) for his physical remand. The PML-N president’s arrest comes as opposition parties have reignited efforts to remove Prime Minister Imran Khan from office, vowing earlier this month at an All Parties Conference to launch a protest movement in the coming weeks demanding the government’s resignation. “We are not scared of these arrests,” said Marriyum Aurangzeb, spokeswoman for the PML-N. “Sharif has been arrested ONLY because he REFUSED to play in the hands of those who wanted to use him against his brother. He preferred standing behind prison bars than to stand against his brother,” she tweeted.

Earlier on Monday, a division bench comprising Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem and Justice Farooq Haider, resumed the hearing of the pre-arrest bail petition, filed by Shahbaz Sharif in a packed-to-the-capacity courtroom.

A legal team comprising Azam Nazir Tarar and Amjad Pervez was present to represent Sharif, while Syed Faisal Bukhari led the NAB prosecution team. Advocate Azam Nazir Tarar argued before the bench that the PML-N president not only saved billions of rupees in various projects during his previous two tenures as the Punjab chief minister but also did not receive any allowances and house rent. He questioned why the NAB wanted to arrest Sharif, adding it had already filed a reference against his client before an accountability court in the case.

To a court query, Tarar submitted that the reference copies had been distributed among the accused and indictment proceedings were in progress. Representing Sharif, Advocate Pervez stated Sharif’s children were not dependent on him. He submitted the opposition leader’s wife, sons and daughters were income taxpayers. He argued there was not a single document in 58 volumes of the reference against Sharif whereas his client was also not a “benamidar” in record of any government agency.

He submitted that four persons had consented to become approvers in the money-laundering reference, but no one gave a statement against Sharif. He pleaded with the bench to confirm Sharif’s bail in the case.

At that stage, the PML-N president told the bench he saved billions of rupees in various projects as the chief minister and he fixed higher support price for sugarcane, which caused loss to the sugar mills of his sons and brother.

However, NAB Prosecutor Syed Faisal Bukhari opposed the request, saying the bureau had launched an inquiry into the money-laundering allegations against Shahbaz Sharif family on October 23, 2018, which was upgraded to an investigation on April 3, 2019. He submitted that the arrest warrants were issued for Hamza, Suleman, Fazal Dad, Muhammad Usman and other accused on April 3, whereas no arrest warrants were issued for any accused at the inquiry stage.

He submitted the bureau launched investigations after fulfilling legal requirements. He also submitted that suspected transactions were reported by the Financial Monitoring Unit in its report. He stated that although the reference had been filed in the matter, still Sharif’s arrest was required.

He submitted as per superior courts’ judgments, the accused could be arrested even if reference had been filed against him. He stated the opposition leader owned assets worth Rs 2.1 million in 1990, but now his family possessed assets worth billions of rupees, whereas Rs 1.57 billion transactions were made from abroad.

He submitted the family received 177 fake telegraphic transfers and 63 suspected transactions, whereas Sharif and co-accused Mushtaq Chini had obtained 603 million fake loans. He submitted the PML-N president did not own any big business, then how come they amassed that wealth.

While questioning Sharif’s flats in London, the prosecutor submitted the PML-N leader’s assets increased rapidly from 2008 to 2018. He claimed funds were transferred into “benami” accounts from abroad, which were later transferred to accounts of Sharif and his family members.

He submitted Shahbaz Sharif family acquired various assets from the funds received from abroad but they failed to justify it. He claimed Sharif owned four flats in London but he failed to satisfy the bureau over sources for their purchase.

He submitted the PML-N president gave Rs 20 million to Hamza Shehbaz as a gift. At that stage, Sharif’s counsel Azam Nazir Tarar sought permission to withdraw the bail petition. Subsequently, the bench allowed the request and dismissed the bail petition as being withdrawn.

The NAB officials arrested Shahbaz Sharif from the court premises. Strict security arrangements were made and a large number of police personnel were posted inside and outside the court premises. A two-judge bench had granted an interim bail to Sharif in the case on June 3 and it was extended many times.