Suleman Shehbaz, the younger son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, withdrew his request for bail on Monday in connection with a money laundering investigation initiated by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), after a prosecutor informed the trial court that the suspect’s arrest was not currently necessary.
The NAB court dismissed Suleman’s pre-arrest bail petition as withdrawn and asked the NAB for a response about the bail case involving PM Shehbaz’s son-in-law Haroon Yousaf.
When his pre-arrest bail petition expired, Yousaf also showed up in front of the court.
Yousaf’s pre-arrest bail was extended by the court until February 7.
The National Accountability Bureau’s prosecutor had earlier informed the court that the National Accountability Ordinance of 1999’s recent modifications rendered the earlier arrest warrants against Suleman null and void.
He informed the court that arrest warrants may now be issued at the investigation stage under the new law. In the past, NAB had the authority to issue arrest warrants only at the inquiry stage. This change will allow for more effective investigations and quicker resolution of cases.
Suleman’s detention, according to the prosecutor, was not necessary at that time. He emphasised that the suspect had not responded to a questionnaire that the agency had given him.
However, Suleman’s attorney informed the court that the bureau had received a response to the questionnaire.
Suleman, Rabia Imran, and Haroon Yousaf, sons of PM Shehbaz, were adjudged to be absconders by the court for failing to present in the trial proceedings.
Suleman and Yousaf recently terminated their self-imposed exile and came back to the nation after receiving court-issued protective bails.
“NAB Alleges Billion-Dollar Fraud and Money Laundering by PM Shehbaz’s Family”
NAB accuses PM Shehbaz’s family of receiving billion-dollar payments. Billions laundered through overseas pay orders, deposited to PM Shehbaz’s sons personal accounts. PM Shehbaz and family members named as defendants in NAB reference.
NAB claims billions laundered through overseas pay orders in PM Shehbaz’s son’s personal accounts. PM Shehbaz’s family members also received phony billion-dollar payments. PM Shehbaz and other family members named as defendants in NAB reference.
In addition to the other defendants named in the reference, including Fazal Dad Abbasi, Rashid Karamat, Muhammad Usman, Masroor Anwar, Nisar Ahmad, Shoaib Qamar, and Qasim Qayum, PM Shehbaz, his older son Hamza, and daughter Javeria Ali have also been named as defendants. Nusrat, Shehbaz’s wife, has been charged through a pleader because she is abroad.