[ad_1]
Lahore: The Special Court (Central) on Friday adjourned until October 8 the listening to within the Rs 16 billion cash laundering case filed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in opposition to Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shahbaz.
During at the moment’s listening to, Hamza didn’t seem earlier than the court docket as he had sought exemption on medical grounds. At the second of the listening to, the prime minister additionally sought exemption as a result of he had “important” issues to attend.
The premier additionally informed the court docket {that a} “fake case” has been filed in opposition to him and that he has taken a number of choices within the curiosity of the individuals, damaging his household enterprise within the course of.
PM Shehbaz’s lawyer, Amjad Parvez, who introduced his arguments at the moment, will proceed his arguments within the subsequent listening to as properly.
The Prime Minister and his son, who’s a prime PML-N chief, had secured bail within the case in July after submitting a bail bond of Rs 10 lakh.
at the moment’s listening to
Initially, the premier’s lawyer Amjad Parvez informed the court docket that his consumer would seem earlier than him in a short while. After a while the Prime Minister reached the listening to.
Beginning his arguments, Parvez stated that the First Information Report (FIR) filed in opposition to his purchasers mentions that they have been concerned in cash laundering of Rs 25 billion by means of faux corporations from 2008-2018.
“The allegations are of basic nature. The FIR additionally mentions that Sharif Group corporations have been used for cash laundering. However, in these 10 years, Shahbaz was neither a director nor a shareholder of these corporations “
Parvez said the FIR was registered after investigation and the opening paragraph of the report does not mention Shahbaz.
The counsel told the court that it is up to an individual whether he decides to keep movable or immovable property or not. To this, Judge Aijaz Awan said that they should declare it otherwise it becomes black money.
“If so, then FIA would have taken motion. This FIR was registered through the tenure of the earlier authorities. The court docket, with regard to the instances registered through the tenure of the earlier authorities, has already stated that the FIA was used for political engineering It was,” the lawyer pointed out.
Parvez told the court that the FIR does not mention that the low-paid employees claimed that they opened bank accounts on the instructions of Shahbaz.
Parvez said that the prosecution claims that Shahbaz was involved in hiding Rs 4 billion which he was able to get by selling sugar, however, we still have to review the FIR to confirm that it is under the jurisdiction of the FIA. comes or not.
“FBR [Federal Board of Revenue] Or the Income Tax Department can take motion on this matter.”
“They (prosecutors) use the title of Sharif Group for political functions. The title of Sharif Group just isn’t registered below the Companies Ordinance,” he said.
Shahbaz’s argument during the hearing
Interrupting his lawyer, PM Shahbaz said that he wanted to speak. The court allowed this.
“I’ve some vital work in Islamabad. I’ll go away should you’re sorry. But earlier than that I need to say one thing.”
The prime minister told the court that he made decisions that “hurt” his family’s sugar business as the chief minister of Punjab for 20 years.
“I used to be requested to offer subsidy to sugar mills, however I refused. I refused as the quantity (which might be used for subsidy) belonged to poor individuals of Punjab,” he said.
The PM termed the money laundering case against him as ‘fake’ and said that he never gave subsidy to sugar mills.
Noting that he has many other matters to attend, the Premier said that he has been entrusted with an important responsibility during this difficult time.
“Petrol costs are rising. There is a flood within the nation. Every greenback is effective to us. I’ve banned the export of sugar as a result of individuals won’t forgive me if the worth of sugar rises.”
He said that if Pakistan exports sugar, the country will get foreign exchange reserves and no one would like to stop them from coming in.
After the permission of the court, Shahbaz left from there.
court case
In December 2021, the FIA produced challans in a special court against Shahbaz and Hamza for their alleged involvement in the laundering of Rs 16 billion in the sugar scam.
According to the FIA report submitted to the court, the investigative team “traced 28 benami accounts of the Shahbaz household by means of which cash laundering to the tune of Rs 16.3 billion was carried out from 2008-18. The FIA probed the cash path of 17,000 credit score transactions.” Of.”
The report stated the quantity was stored in “hidden accounts” and “given to Shahbaz in a personal capacity”.
This quantity (Rs 16 billion) has nothing to do with the sugar enterprise (of Shehbaz’s household). The FIA had stated that funds allegedly acquired from the accounts of low-paid staff have been transferred outdoors Pakistan by means of hundi/hawala networks, finally for the useful use of their relations.
“Eleven low-paid staff of the Sharif Group, who had cash laundering proceeds on behalf of the principle accused, have been discovered responsible of facilitating cash laundering. Three different co-accused of the Sharif Group additionally actively facilitated cash laundering. of,” the company had stated.
[ad_2]
Source link