From Abid Usman
LAHORE: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif appeared before the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in connection with its ongoing probe into alleged money laundering of Rs25 billion through the sugar mills owned by the Sharif family.
A four-member team of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) quizzed the PML-N president at the agency’s Lahore office for more than an hour.
The investigation team put as many as 20 questions to PML-N president and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz, out of which he could answer only four. A large number of PML-N supporters gathered outside the FIA office to show solidarity to their leader.
The opposition leader and his son Hamza Shehbaz Sharif have been accused of laundering Rs25 billion ill-gotten money using the Ramazan Sugar Mills and Al-Arabiya Sugar Mills.
Security was beefed up outside the FIA offices prior to Shahbaz’s appearance. A large crowd of PML-N supporters gathered outside the building.
As Shahbaz was leaving, officials called him again to probe him for a second time, reports said, adding that it was not clear on whose instructions and why was he called again. He was questioned for half an hour more. FIA officials refrained from commenting on the matter.
On Monday, both father-son duo obtained pre-arrest interim bail from the Lahore High Court (LHC) to avoid their arrest at the hands of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) during their hearing. The court approved their bail against surety bonds worth Rs1 million each.
Last year in December, the FIA team had interrogated PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif inside Kot Lakhpat Jail. On April 23, he was released from jail after the Lahore High Court (LHC) approved his bail in a money laundering and assets beyond means case.
