Usman Khan
Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday granted 14-day protective bail to Suleman Shahbaz, the son of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after he returned home from self-exile and surrendered to the court.
The court directed Suleman to appear before the relevant court in the alleged money-laundering case against him.
During the case hearing, IHC Chief Justice Aamir Farooq asked the counsel for Suleman in which court his client wanted to appear.
Suleman’s lawyer Amjad Pervez told the court that his client has to appear before a special judge central in Lahore, Punjab.
Protective bail
The IHC chief justice after hearing arguments granted the protective bail to Suleman and directed him to appear before the relevant court in 14 days after his protective bail ended.
During the court appearance, Suleman contended that he left Pakistan in 2018, and the case was registered against him in 2020. He also shared that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had not issued a call-up notice to him and that he was declared a proclaimed offender by the court without any reason.
The IHC had earlier ordered Suleman to surrender by December 13 and barred the authorities from arresting him.
The Islamabad court had issued the order after his client had assured the bench that Suleman would return to the country.
Suleman landed in Pakistan after spending over four years of self-exile in the United Kingdom on Sunday.
Speaking to the media outside the Islamabad High Court, Suleman said that former prime minister Imran Khan ruined the country’s economy by borrowing loans. He said that the former prime minister illegally sold watches he got from friendly countries as gifts. He said that “We will chase him until he gets the punishment for all his deeds. Will not leave him.”
Money-laundering case against Suleman, Shehbaz
A money laundering case of Rs16 billion is pending in the Special Central Court of Lahore against Suleman, his brother Hamza Shehbaz and his father Shehbaz Sharif. In November 2020, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) filed a case against Shehbaz Sharif and his sons Hamza and Suleman under Sections 419, 420, 468, 471, 34, and 109 of the Anti-Corruption Act and Section 3/4 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
