LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government and the opposition PML-N on Tuesday continued their war of words over a UK court verdict to unfreeze Shehbaz Sharif and his son Suleman’s bank accounts — with the latter claiming the decision will help expose “politically motivated” cases against the Sharif family in Pakistan.

The Westminster Magistrates Court’s decision was announced earlier this month and released on Monday on a report of the UK National Crime Agency (NCA) that said it had stopped a probe into suspicious bank transactions involving Suleman Shehbaz and others.

The PML-N was of the view that the Asset Recovery Unit (ARU) allegedly set up at the prime minister’s office, the PTI government, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) did their best to trap the Sharifs in the UK and UAE, but failed as international investigation agencies like the NCA could not be manipulated. It said money laundering charges had not been proved during the NCA’s probe against Mr Shehbaz and his family members in three countries — Pakistan, UK and UAE.

On the other hand, the government said the PML-N was building a narrative of Mr Shehbaz’s innocence in the case in which he was not even investigated.

PM’s aide argues court order doesn’t say Shehbaz has been acquitted of money laundering

Uploading the order of the UK court on his Twitter account, Adviser to the PM on Interior and Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar, wrote: “Here is order of the UK court lifting the AFO (asset freezing order) against two accounts of Suleman Shehbaz, nowhere does it say it has acquitted Shehbaz Sharif of money laundering — cheap tricks won’t work Shehbaz still need to answer in courts in Pakistan.”

Addressing a virtual press talk, Mr Akbar dispelled the impression of acquittal of Mr Shehbaz and Mr Suleman by the UK court in the money laundering case. “No acquittal is mentioned in the court order,” he insisted. The NCA’s probe against Mr Suleman and some of his family members was not initiated on the request of the ARU or NAB, he said. The NCA contacted Pakistan over two suspicious transactions (involving Suleman and others), he said and added that the two-page verdict of the court was issued on Sept 10.

Mr Akbar said Mr Shehbaz was facing money laundering cases in Pakistani courts. “NAB is investigating laundering of Rs7 billion and the FIA is looking into fake transactions of Rs25bn involving Shehbaz and his family,” he explained.

On the other hand, PML-N leaders Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal and Rana Sanaullah in a presser in Lahore asked the ministers and the PM’s advisers to stop spreading “fake news” now after the embarrassment they faced over the acquittal of Shehbaz Sharif and his family in the money laundering case.

“The ARU set up in the premier’s office wrote to the NCA in December 2019 to probe into money laundering charges against Shehbaz Sharif and Suleman Shehbaz. NAB Lahore Director General Shahzad Saleem and some FIA officials went to London to meet NCA officials in this respect,” Mr Abbasi said.

He claimed that since tax had been paid on the money, Mr Shehbaz and Mr Suleman allowed the NCA to investigate their bank accounts. After investigation in Pakistan, the UK and UAE, the NCA told the court that it had completed its probe and found no evidence of money laundering against Mr Shehbaz and Mr Suleman, he claimed and asked what the worth of money laundering cases in Pakistan was after the UK court verdict.

“The PTI government presented fake evidence to the NCA against the Sharifs. Being an international investigation agency, the NCA could not be manipulated like accountability judge Arshad Malik,” Mr Abbasi said, mocking the government.

He asked PM Imran Khan, NAB chairman Javed Iqbal and Shahzad Akbar to admit their mistake of bringing disrepute to the country by pursuing such fake cases in foreign lands.

Ahsan Iqbal read out a letter about the meeting(s) of NAB Lahore DG Saleem with the NCA officials.

Rana Sanaullah said this case was the strongest against Mr Shehbaz as per Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid and his colleagues. “After the verdict in this case, the fate of other cases against the Sharifs will be no different,” he claimed.

Uploading the ARU letter in this regard on his Twitter account, PML-N leader Attaullah Tarar tweeted: “Blatant lies and a cover up for face saving. For three years you (the government) have levelled false allegations – ARU’s letter to NCA written on Dec 11, 2019 by your office is attached. The information and material you provided has been declared false by NCA and UK court after thorough investigation.”

In a meeting of the PML-N’s Rawalpindi division chapter here on Tuesday, presided over by former premier Nawaz Sharif from London via video link, the party members congratulated each other on the UK court’s decision that they said vindicated the Sharif family.

Meanwhile, a source told Dawn that the accounts maintained by Suleman Shehbaz in the UK had never been under investigation by NAB in assets beyond means and money laundering case against Mr Shehbaz. “NAB Lahore investigated the assets accumulated by suspect Shehbaz Sharif and his family members through money laundering by fake foreign Telegraphic Transfers. Fake foreign remittances amounting to more than Rs2.2bn were received by Mr Shehbaz’s family in their personal bank accounts in Pakistan from the UK and UAE. The individuals who were mentioned as remitters had never visited the UK or UAE,” the source said.

Meanwhile, The FIA has sent a questionnaire to Mr Shehbaz in the money laundering investigation against him and his son Hamza, and asked him to submit a reply by Oct 8.

Published in Dawn, September 29th, 2021