–Bureau asks Shehbaz to submit bank transaction details along with the loan details
LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has issued a call-up notice to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif in a money laundering case, asking him to appear in person at its Lahore office on Monday.
This is the third time that the accountability watchdog has summoned the National Assembly opposition leader. Shehbaz had skipped two previous hearings on account of the prevailing Covid-19 situation in the country.
According to the notification, Shehbaz has been directed to appear before it with documents detailing the properties inherited by him.
The bureau has alleged that assets worth Rs3.3 billion had been identified so far as illegally accumulated by Shehbaz and both his sons — Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Hamza Shahbaz and Suleman Shehbaz, who are also nominated in the reference. It said the whole family committed massive money laundering in the name of foreign remittances and loans.
“As a public office holder Shehbaz needs to explain the increase in his assets,” NAB said.
Suleman was declared proclaimed offender in October last year after he failed to appear before the court despite repeated orders. He is currently residing in London.
NAB has also asked Shehbaz to submit bank transaction details along with the loan taken from Barclays, a Britain based investment bank, between 2005 to 2007 while he was living in exile in London.
Furthermore, thebBureau has also sought details of all the gifts received and given by the Sharif family, details of agriculture income earned between 2008 and 2019; and details about the utilisation of his Model Town residence as chief minister’s camp house during his 10-year tenure.
Shehbaz, who had returned to Pakistan in March after spending four months with his ailing brother in London, was served the first call-up notice on April 16, directing him to appear the following day. However, he submitted a response, maintaining that he is a cancer survivor and his life was in danger due to the pandemic which was why he could not appear.
While NAB acknowledged that it received the response, it maintained that the answer “was not satisfactory”. NAB officials said that Shehbaz will have to appear in person as required as per the law.
