LAHORE: Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif insists that the recent London court decision exonerates him of corruption and money laundering charges, while the government maintains the cases were never initiated against the former chief minister in the UK.

The government is in mourning since the London court cleared him and his son, Suleman, of all charges of misuse of authority and money laundering in Ashiana Housing and Ramzan Sugar Mills cases, Shehbaz told a press conference at the PML-N secretariat here on Wednesday. A video clip was also played containing allegations repeatedly levelled by Prime Minister Imran Khan and other PTI leaders against the Sharifs during the last couple of years.

PML-N president denies receiving any notice from FIA

Alleging a NAB-Niazi nexus being behind the accountability drive against the Sharifs, Shehbaz presented documents from the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) revealing that bureau’s Lahore Director General Shehzad Saleem had met the NCA officials and assured them of all-out cooperation in investigations against the former ruling family two days before a letter by the Asset Recovery Unit, headed by PM’s Adviser on Accountability Shehzad Akbar, was received by the investigation agency in December 2019.

He lamented that the government wasted its time and public money on futile investigations which he claimed tarnished the country’s image abroad. .

Responding to a query regarding the FIA claim that it sent a questionnaire in the money laundering and fake accounts case to the opposition leader at his chamber in the National Assembly as well as his Model Town residence, Shehbaz denied receiving any notice.

Meanwhile, federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry claimed in a presser in Islamabad that the government had not initiated any case against Shehbaz Sharif abroad. He said the PML-N president was rather facing two cases in Pakistan – a NAB reference against Shehbaz, his wife Nusrat and other family members and the other against “organised” money laundering worth Rs25 billion through Al-Arabia and Ramzan Sugar mills.

The NAB case, Chaudhry said, was not progressing because the relevant court did not have a judge for the last six months. He demanded on behalf of the government the hearing in this case be held daily.

He said Shehbaz didn’t utter a single word on the two cases in his over an hour-long presser. He also regretted the “fake”news run by a section of the media claiming that Shehbaz had been cleared by the UK agency, while the investigations were held against his son Suleman and there was no mention of the PML-N president in the case.

The minister pointed out that Shehbaz in his presser stated that Suleman’s acquittal should be considered his (Shehbaz) acquittal too, but in cases in Pakistan, he had the opposite stance that he had nothing to do with his children’s money as they were independent. He said the PTI maintained the telegraphic transfers of his sons were related to him as he was the chief minister.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2021