Money-laundering reference: NAB submits list of 110 witnesses against Shahbaz, his family

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Saturday submitted a list of 110 prosecution witnesses before an accountability court in the money laundering reference against the Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif and his family.

The witnesses included employees of different banks, Federal Board of Revenue and other government departments.

Daughter of Shahbaz Sharif, Javeria also filed an application before the court seeking permanent exemption from personal appearance, saying the trial was at an early stage and it would not be disturbed due to her absence.

She requested the court to allow her to nominate a pleader to regularly appear on her behalf on each hearing. On the previous hearing, Shahbaz and his daughter Javeria Ali had appeared before the court.

The reference mainly accused Shahbaz Sharif of being beneficiary of assets held in the name of his family members and benamidars who had no sources to acquire such assets.

It said the suspects committed offences of corruption and corrupt practices as envisaged under the provisions of National Accountability Ordinance 1999 and money laundering as delineated in Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010.

In this case Shahbaz Sharif is on pre-arrest bail granted by the Lahore High Court.

Hamza is on judicial remand while Suleman has been declared absconder as he failed to return from London.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020