A special court in Lahore has acquitted Suleman Shehbaz, son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a high-profile case of money laundering case registered with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Suleman, who returned to Pakistan in December 2022 after a four-year self-exile in London, was accused in the money laundering of Rs16 billion, while the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had nominated him in an assets-beyond-means reference.
Earlier, Suleman had been declared a proclaimed offender in both cases. However, the Islamabad High Court had granted him protection from arrest prior to his return. Last year, a special court had also acquitted the prime minister and his elder son, Hamza Shehbaz, in the same case.
During the hearing, Suleman appeared in court accompanied by his counsel, Advocate Amjad Parvez, while the FIA submitted its response to 27 questions posed by the court.
The detailed court verdict highlighted that the joint investigation team (JIT) members failed to provide any incriminating evidence against Suleman and another accused, Syed Muhammad Tahir Naqvi. The JIT members alleged that Mirza Shahzad Akbar, the former accountability czar, had pressured them to involve Suleman and others in the case.
The court order emphasized that the allegation of Suleman being an abettor lacked evidence, and the entire story surrounding his involvement was based on conjectures and suppositions. Consequently, the court ruled that no valid charges could be framed against the accused, leading to their discharge from the case.
Judge Bakht Fakhar Bahzad expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of the FIA and criticized its former director general, who intentionally failed to appear before the court and answer questionnaires.
The judge called for legal action against the FIA officials involved in launching the baseless prosecution, stating that such actions tarnish the agency’s image and lower its honor in the public eye.
The judge directed the Secretary Establishment to take strict action against the former FIA DG, investigating officers, and others involved in the prosecution.
The FIA had initially booked Shehbaz and his sons, Hamza and Suleman, in November 2020 under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Anti Money Laundering Act. Suleman had been declared a proclaimed offender in July 2022. The FIA’s investigation had revealed multiple benami accounts linked to the Shehbaz family, through which money laundering of Rs16.3 billion was conducted from 2008-2018.
