A specially appointed central court led by Judge Bakht Fakhar Behzad absolved Suleman Shehbaz, the son of the current Prime Minister, and all others implicated in an alleged Rs16 billion money laundering case.
During the court proceedings, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) addressed 27 inquiries put forth by the court. The FIA clarified that the responsibility for the money laundering investigation fell to the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), directed by Dr Rizwan. However, the judge found it concerning that only a single witness statement was recorded throughout the investigation. Furthermore, the FIA’s investigating officer failed to provide a response when queried about the lack of repercussions for individuals who altered their accounts during the inquiry.
Judge Behzad expressed his dissatisfaction with the lack of responses and emphasized the need for tangible evidence to validate the allegations. He insisted on convincing proof to bolster the case, declaring his readiness to take decisive action if necessary. Following this, the special central court announced the acquittal of Suleman Shehbaz and all other accused parties in the FIA money laundering case.
The FIA’s Accusations and Investigation
In November 2020, the FIA registered a case against the former chief minister of Punjab, Shehbaz Sharif, and his sons, Hamza Shehbaz Sharif and Suleman Shehbaz, under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Anti Money Laundering Act.
The FIA presented a comprehensive challan in December 2021, implicating Shehbaz and Hamza in a colossal Rs16 billion money laundering scheme. The report revealed 28 undisclosed accounts linked to the Shehbaz family, indicating money laundering activities between 2008 and 2018 totalling Rs16.3 billion.
The FIA’s findings exposed a complex network of 17,000 credit transactions making up the money trail. It was discovered that the funds were concealed in secret accounts and then redirected to Shehbaz in his capacity. The agency’s investigation identified eleven low-income employees of the Sharif family as accomplices in the money laundering operation.
