LAHORE – The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Thursday decided not toprosecute Rs16 billion money laundering case against Prime Minister ShehbazSharif, his son Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz and others.
In a written order issued by Special judge central Ijaz Hassan Awan, theFIA’s prosecution team has been made a part of the record.
The court said that after the hearing on April 11, the FIA had submitted apetition stating that the concerned authorities are no more interested inthe trial. “Director-General FIA has decided not to appear in the courtagainst Shehbaz Sharif,” FIA’s special prosecutor said.
“… Usman Riaz Gill, advocate appeared and filed a written applicationintimating that DG FIA through [investigation officer] of this caseconveyed to Mr Sikandar Zulqarnain Saleem, Advocate learned SpecialProsecutor not to appear in this case as the accused in the case are goingto elected as Prime Minister of Pakistan and Chief Minister of the provinceof Punjab and the concerned quarters are not interested to prosecute theaccused persons,” the order read.
The FIA had booked PM Shehbaz and his sons, Hamza and Suleman, in November2020 under sections 419, 420, 468, 471, 34 and 109 of Prevention ofCorruption Act and read with 3/4 of Anti Money Laundering Act. SulemanShehbaz is absconding in the UK.
Read Top Stories
Earlier this week, FIA former director Mohammad Rizwan, who probed thecharges against Shehbaz and his son, died of a heart attack.
On the last hearing, the FIA’s special court had issued an order that itwill indict PM Shehbaz and CM Punjab Hamza.
The special court had to indict the father-son duo and others allegedlyinvolved in the case in April, but due to the absence of PM Shehbaz, theprocess was delayed.
