LAHORE: An accountability court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of a money-laundering reference against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, his son Hamza and others.

PM Shehbaz had already been granted permanent exemption from personal appearance in the trial while Hamza did not attend the proceedings and sought a one-time exemption on medical grounds.

A counsel filed a written application on behalf of Hamza, saying the applicant had been advised complete rest by doctors due to backache.

Presiding Judge Qamaruz Zaman allowed the application and adjourned the further hearing till Nov 15.

In this reference of the money laundering, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) alleged that the family members and benamidars of PM 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 with the personal bank accounts of his sons Hamza and Suleman.

Shehbaz, his son Hamza and daughter Javeria Ali have been indicted in the reference besides other accused including Fazal Dad Abbasi, Rashid Karamat, Muhammad Usman, Masroor Anwar, Nisar Ahmad, Shoaib Qamar and Qasim Qayyum. Shehbaz’s wife Nusrat has been indicted through a pleader as she is out of the country.

Suleman, daughter Rabia Imran and son-in-law Haroon Yousaf have been declared absconders by the court for avoiding their appearance in the proceedings.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2022