LAHORE: An accountability court on Friday indicted Nusrat Shehbaz, the wife of Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, through a pleader in a money laundering reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Earlier, Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz appeared before the court, while an application for one-time exemption from personal appearance was filed on behalf of Shehbaz on medical grounds.

A lawyer told the court that Shehbaz had been advised bed rest after slipping from a staircase at home.

Judge asks the prosecution to present witnesses on Oct 18

Presiding Judge Nasim Ahmad Virk allowed the application and proceeded to indict Nusrat Shehbaz through her pleader, Advocate Nawaz Chaudhry, who received copies of the reference on behalf of the suspect. Nusrat is in London and the Lahore High Court had allowed her to appoint a pleader to join the trial proceedings on her behalf.

The judge directed the prosecution to present its witnesses on Oct 18.

Shehbaz, his son Hamza, daughter Javeria Ali and others who joined the trial had already been indicted on Nov 11 last year. Other suspects include Fazal Dad Abbasi, Rashid Karamat, Mohammad Usman, Masroor Anwar, Nisar Ahmad, Shoaib Qamar and Qasim Qayyum.

The NAB accused the family members and benamidars of Shehbaz of receiving fake foreign remittances worth billions in their personal bank accounts. In addition to these remittances, the bureau said, billions of rupees were laundered through foreign pay orders, which were deposited in personal bank accounts of his sons Hamza and Suleman.

Meanwhile, Accountability Court No-V judge Sajid Ali also adjourned hearing in the references of Ramzan Sugar Mills and Ashiyana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme till Oct 18.

The judge allowed the application of Shehbaz for exemption from personal appearance in both references while Hamza attended the proceedings of the sugar mills’ case.

The judge summoned prosecution witnesses in both references on the next hearing.

PML-N workers shouted slogans outside the court in support of their leaders and showered rose petals on Hamza Shehbaz’s vehicle.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2021