-Money laundering case
From Abid Usman
LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) summoned PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif again on June 2 in an investigation pertaining to alleged money laundering. The former Punjab chief minister appeared before the accountability watchdog today to respond to the questions related to the investigation.
According to NAB officials, the PML-N president was questioned for two hours. The NAB alleged that the PML-N leader did not give satisfactory answers in the investigation.
Earlier, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb had confirmed that former Punjab chief minister and PML-President Shehbaz Sharif will appear before the authority. “Shehbaz Sharif will present himself before NAB despite the dangers of the coronavirus,” Aurangzeb told the media on Monday. “Doctors have advised Sharif not to endanger himself by venturing outside amid the virus epidemic,” she told reporters gathered in the provincial capital.
“Shehbaz Sharif respects the law and will accordingly present himself before the bureau authorities today,” she added. NAB had summoned Sharif, who is also the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, for a third time in an investigation related to alleged money laundering.
“We had earlier requested that the hearing be postponed in light of the virus epidemic and the life of Shehbaz Sharif should not be put in danger because of this investigation. All information related to the case has already been provided to NAB,” she noted.
Earlier, the NAB had summoned Shahbaz twice in the said investigation, but he didn’t appear before the bureau. On April 22, Sharif had submitted his written reply, but the NAB considered it dissatisfactory and had asked him to appear in person before the NAB on May 4.NAB had officially warned Sharif that a legal action will be taken against him if he doesn’t appear before the bureau’s investigators on April 22 in the alleged money laundering investigation against him and his family members.
The bureau had assured Sharif that all social distancing measures would be adopted and investigators would only ask questions related to the alleged money laundering from a safe distance when he presented himself before the bureau for questioning.Before that, Shahbaz had skipped appearance before NAB in money-laundering investigations, fearing that coronavirus could affect him as he was a 69-year-old cancer survivor and medical professionals had advised him to restrict his movement due to life-threatening risks.The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) summoned PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif again on June 2 in an investigation pertaining to alleged money laundering. The former Punjab chief minister appeared before the accountability watchdog today to respond to the questions related to the investigation.
According to NAB officials, the PML-N president was questioned for two hours. The NAB alleged that the PML-N leader did not give satisfactory answers in the investigation.
PML-N Spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb dismissed the NAB statement claiming that Shehbaz Sharif failed to give adequate responses in the investigation.
She said that Shehbaz Sharif had given all the verbal and written responses to the probe body, adding that he was not asked anything related to money laundering.
“Shehbaz Sharif appeared before NAB despite fake allegations from the NAB-Niazi nexus and the threat posed by the coronavirus,” she said. Aurangzeb said that Prime Minister Imran Khan should present before NAB in helicopter case and food crisis probe.
Earlier, Marriyum Aurangzeb had confirmed that former Punjab chief minister and PML-President Shehbaz Sharif will appear before the authority.
“Shehbaz Sharif will present himself before NAB despite the dangers of the coronavirus,” Aurangzeb told the media on Monday. “Doctors have advised Sharif not to endanger himself by venturing outside amid the virus epidemic,” she told reporters gathered in the provincial capital. “Shehbaz Sharif respects the law and will accordingly present himself before the bureau authorities today,” she added. NAB had summoned Sharif, who is also the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, for a third time in an investigation related to alleged money laundering.
“We had earlier requested that the hearing be postponed in light of the virus epidemic and the life of Shehbaz Sharif should not be put in danger because of this investigation. All information related to the case has already been provided to NAB,” she noted.
Earlier, the NAB had summoned Shahbaz twice in the said investigation, but he didn’t appear before the bureau. On April 22, Sharif had submitted his written reply, but the NAB considered it dissatisfactory and had asked him to appear in person before the NAB on May 4.
NAB had officially warned Sharif that a legal action will be taken against him if he doesn’t appear before the bureau’s investigators on April 22 in the alleged money laundering investigation against him and his family members. The bureau had assured Sharif that all social distancing measures would be adopted and investigators would only ask questions related to the alleged money laundering from a safe distance when he presented himself before the bureau for questioning.
Before that, Shahbaz had skipped appearance before NAB in money-laundering investigations, fearing that coronavirus could affect him as he was a 69-year-old cancer survivor and medical professionals had advised him to restrict his movement due to life-threatening risks.In a separate case, accountability court in Lahore has on Monday adjourned assets and money laundering case against Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz till May 12.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader said in his statement that he is being politically victimized as no reference has been filed against him till date. The court directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to file reference against Hamza Shahbaz in assets case. It is pertinent here to mention that the PML-N leader has been accused of money laundering through his personal employees.
