Did not take anything from government in 12.5 years, PM Shehbaz tells court

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday that he refused to receive any salary or benefits when he was chief minister of Punjab, Aaj News reported.

The PM made this statement before a special court in Lahore, which is hearing the Rs16 billion money laundering case against him, CM Hamza Shehbaz and others by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Presiding Judge of the Special Court (Central-I) Ijaz Hassan Awan took up the hearing.

Shehbaz told the court that the case against him was false, saying that he had not taken anything from the government in 12.5 years.

"I even used to get the fuel for my government car from my own pocket," he said.

The court later gave PM Shehbaz and Hamza permission to leave, saying the remaining proceedings can take place without their presence.

During the previous hearing last week, the court had extended Shehbaz's and Hamza's interim bail till May 28 (today).

The court has also issued arrest warrants for Suleman Shehbaz, Tahir Naqvi and Malik Maqsood as they were not present during the hearing.

Special court extends interim bail of PM Shehbaz, CM Hamza in money laundering case

Background

Last year, the FIA had submitted a challan in a banking court against Shehbaz and his two sons, Hamza and Salman, citing them as the main suspects in a money laundering case.

The investigation team had found 28 Benami accounts that were operated under Shehbaz and his household staff members' names from 2008 to 2018 — while the opposition leader was chief minister and Hamza was a member of the National Assembly.

On January 27, the special court granted pre-arrest bail to Shehbaz and Hamza in the case.