LAHORE: An accountability court on Tuesday initiated the process to declare Suleman Shahbaz, son of Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif, an absconder in the money laundering reference against his family and approved issuance of the proclamations under sections 87 and 88 of CrPC.

A written order released by the court about the Monday’s proceedings requires that the proclamations be read in some conspicuous place of residential address of the suspect where he used to live in Pakistan, in addition to paste the same on the property.

A copy of the proclamation would also be affixed on some prominent part of the court’s premises.

The court also directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to provide details of the moveable and immoveable assets of the suspect.

The court, however, deferred the same process against Ms Nusrat Shahbaz and Ms Rabia, wife and daughter of Shahbaz Sharif, respectively, in the light of an assurance given by their counsel that both women would join the trial proceedings.

Presiding Judge Jawadul Hassan would resume hearing of the case on Oct 13.

In this case, the NAB has been allowed physical remand of Shahbaz, while his other son Hamza is already on judicial remand. Both were produced before the court on Monday.

The NAB in its reference accused the whole family of Mr Shahbaz of accumulating illegal assets and committing money laundering of over Rs8 billion.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2020