Manend Team 
LAHORE, (MANEND NEWS): Two-member bench of the Lahore High
Court (LHC) headed by Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and
comprising Justice Asjad Javaid Ghural while accepting the bail
application filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President
and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Mian Muhammad
Shehbaz Sharif in money laundering case has ordered his immediate
release from jail. The court has directed Shehbaz Sharif to submit two
surety bonds of Rs. 5 million each.
The court on Wednesday after completion of arguments of both parties
has issued the short verdict while ordering release of Shehbaz Sharif.
The detailed verdict will be issued later on. It is expected that Shehbaz
Sharif will be released from jail in next one or two days after
submission of surety bonds.
During the hearing on Wednesday, NAB Prosecutor Syed Faisal Raza
Bukhari argued that Shehbaz Sharif was used to carryout money
laundering through a network, adding that the assets of Shehbaz
Sharif were only 16.5 million in 1990 but in 2018 the assets of
Shehbaz Sharif family has crossed Rs7 billion mark. He said that
Shehbaz Sharif made assets beyond means and has also committed
money laundering. He said that Shehbaz Sharif was used to run the
network of money laundering through his employees. The NAB
prosecutor said that Shehbaz Sharif is the main accused in the
reference so his bail application should not be accepted. He said that
the whole family of Shehbaz Sharif received the TTs, adding that the
money used to come in the accounts of chief minister secretariat,
adding that Haroon Yousuf was operating these people.
NAB prosecutor argued that Shehbaz Sharif also purchased apartment
abroad but he could not give reply about it. He said that Shehbaz
Sharif was running the money laundering network in an organized
manner and his assets of hundreds of thousands have been converted
in billions. He said that Shehbaz Sharif made assets beyond mean
sources through use of his powers illegally. He said that clear proofs
are present against Shehbaz Sharif so his bail application should be
rejected.
However the NAB Prosecutor Syed Faisal Raza Bukhari could not
satisfy the court through argument. The court after hearing the
arguments and taking stock of the record ordered release of Shehbaz
Sharif on bail in money laundering case. NAB prosecutor continued his
arguments for two hours and 15 minutes.
Shehbaz Sharif had field the bail application through his counsel
Muhammad Amjad Parvez Advocate and Senator Chaudhry Azam Nazir
Tarar Advocate. Chairman NAB justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, DG NAB
Lahore Major (retd) Saleem Shahzad and others were made party in
the bail application.
Shehbaz Sharif had argued in the bail application that the reference of
the money laundering case has been field in the accountability court of
Lahore and trial of the case is also continuing. It has been argued in
the bail application that NAB arrested Shehbaz Sharif with mala fide
intension.
Shehbaz Sharif had argued in the bail application that he is present in
jail from last many months, adding that all the record is present with
NAB and no recovery from him is required to NAB. Shehbaz Sharif had
argued in the bail application that the court may grant bail and release
him, adding that he will regularly join the trial of the case.
The counsel of Shehbaz Sharif, Azam Nazir Tarar argued that NAB has
presented list of 110 witnesses in the court; however so far only 10
witnesses have recorded their statements and no NAB witness has
given statement against Shehbaz Sharef. He said that the judges of
the accountability courts have also been transferred and no new
judges have been appointed. He said that according to a report
submitted by NAB trial court in Supreme Court of Pakistan, the trial
could not be completed prior to one year time, adding that it will be
injustice with Shehbaz Sharif to keep him in jail. Azam Nazir Tarar
requested the court to release Shehbaz Sharif from jail on bail in
money laundering reference.
He said that fair trial is the right of every accused, adding that
Shehbaz Sharif is 70 years old and he is a cancer survivor and there is
no reason for keeping him in jail.
During the PML-N Punjab President and Member National Assembly
Rana Sanaullah Khan, PML-N Spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb,
PML-N Lahore President and Member Punjab Assembly Malik Saiful
Mulook Khokhar, Member Punjab Assembly Khawaja Imran Nazir, and
other leaders were also present in the courtroom.