ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has approached the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) to get the bail of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza Shahbaz canceled.
The NAB has asked the apex court in its appeal to annul a decision of the Lahore High Court (LHC) granting bail to the Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly on February 24. The accountability watchdog pleaded that the LHC neglected the facts in the case as his case does not pertain to hardship. “Granting bail to Hamza Shahbaz will create a hindrance in the NAB inquiry,” the plea read while demanding to cancel the LHC order.
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on februry 24 granted post-arrest bail to PML-N leader and Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz in the assets beyond means case. A two-judge bench of the high court directed him to furnish two surety bonds worth Rs1 million each to secure the bail. The court ordered that Hamza be set free if he is not required to be detained in any other case.
The court approved his bail after hearing arguments of his lawyers and the NAB prosecutor. The prosecutor requested the high court to dismiss the PML-N MPA’s bail stating he amassed more assets than his sources of income justified besides being involved in money laundering. He added Hamza Shahbaz Sharif’s was not an ordinary case.
Advocate Azam Nazir Tarar and Amjad Pervez appeared before the court on behalf of Hamza Shahbaz, stating that their client was arrested in the assets beyond means and money laundering case on June 11, 2019. The corruption watchdog filed the reference in the case after fourteen months since his arrest while he was indicted 16 months later, they added.
