LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday filed a reference of money laundering worth Rs8 billion against Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif, his two sons and other family members.

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.

According to the NAB, the family members and benamidars of Shahbaz's family received foreign remittances of billions in their personal bank accounts. In addition to these remittances, the bureau said, billions of rupees were laundered by way of foreign pay orders which were deposited in personal bank accounts of Hamza and Suleman.

It further said family of Shahbaz failed to justify the sources of funds used for acquisition of 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. The reference asked the court to try the suspects and punish them under the law.

In this case Shahbaz Sharif is on pre-arrest bail which scheduled for hearing on Monday before the Lahore High Court, however, it could not be held due to unavailability of the bench. Hamza is on judicial remand while Suleman has been declared absconder as he failed to return from London.

The main suspects in the reference are Shahbaz's wife Nusrat Shahbaz, their sons Leader of Opposition in Punjab Hamza Shahbaz and Suleman Shahbaz (absconder), their daughters Rabia Imran, Javeria Ali, and four approvers Yasir Mushtaq, Muhammad Mushtaq, Shahid Rafiq and Aftab Mahmood.

Other suspects are alleged benamidars and business partners of the family including Nisar Ahmad, Qasim Qayum, Rashid Karamat, Masroor Anwar, Fazal Dad Abbasi and Shoaib Qamar.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020