LAHORE: An accountability court on Wednesday granted post-arrest bail to a co-accused in the money-laundering reference against the family of Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif.

Through a short order, Presiding Judge Naseem Ahmad Virk allowed the bail petition of co-accused Ali Ahmad Khan subject to furnishing two surety bonds worth Rs10 million each.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had arrested Khan in November 2021 from Islamabad for his alleged role in sending telegraphic transfers (TTs) to the accounts of Shehbaz’s family members. He remained posted at the Chief Minister House during the tenure of Shehbaz.

In the bail petition, Khan through a counsel contended that he had been implicated in the case with mala fide intention. He said the NAB failed to produce any direct evidence against him in the trial.

In the reference, the NAB alleged that the family members and benamidars of Shehbaz received fake 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 Shehbaz’s sons Hamza and Suleman.

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

Being out of the country, Shehbaz’s wife Nusrat joined the trial through a pleader with the permission of the court.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2022