LHC approves Shehbaz Sharif’s bail in assets case

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday approved the bail of Pakistan Muslim League -Nawaz (PML-N) President and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif.
A three-member bench headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi comprising Justice Aalia Neelum and Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi announced the verdict unanimously.
Last week, the court approved Shehbaz’s bail but the matter was forwarded to the Chief Justice Lahore High Court Muhammad Qasim Khan after the bench reached a split verdict. The top judge formed a new three-member bench to hear the bail petition of Shehbaz Sharif.
At the onset of the hearing, the court asked the NAB prosecutor to present his arguments in the case which were opposed by Shehbaz’s lawyer Azam Nazeer Tarar.
The NAB prosecutor told the bench that Shehbaz’s sons and daughter are absconding in the case. He said that Suleman Shehbaz, Nusrat Shahbaz, Rabia Imran, Haroon Yousuf, Syed Tahir Naqvi and Ali Hamid are absconding in the said.
He told the court that the high court had instructed Nusrat Shehbaz to be part of the case through her lawyer. The prosecutor told the court that NAB had send call-up notices to the accused received no response.
He told the bench that in 1990, Shehbaz had showed assets of Rs2.1 million which had risen to Rs10.48 million in 1998. He said that the opposition leader showed assets of Rs7.32 billion and all the assets were gained after 2005.