Shahbaz Sharif released from jail

According to details, the opposition leader in national assembly has been released from Kot Lakh Pat Jail after six months.

Yesterday Lahore High Court (LHC) granted bail to the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif in money laundering case. A three member bench of LHC headed by Justice Baqir Najfi pronounced the verdict and approved bail unanimously.

On April 14, a two-judge bench of Lahore High Court granted bail to the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif but later it was found that the decision has not been signed by a judge of the bench.

The matter came to light when a two-judge bench headed by Justice Sarfraz Dogar and Asjad Javed Ghural reserved judgment on April 14 after hearing the bail application.

As usual, the Court Associate came out of the Judges' Chamber and ruled that the bail of Shahbaz Sharif has been granted in exchange for two sureties of Rs 50, 50 lakhs, after which the PML-N leaders present in the court congratulated each other and left the court with lawyers.

However, the bail orders were not issued and the bench was broken during the week.

The Chief Justice of Lahore High Court constituted a new bench and the written verdict could not be issued as Justice Asjad Javed Gharal did not sign the verdict which was also confirmed by the Registrar's Office of the High Court.

An official of the Registrar's Office, Lahore High Court, told local media that it is a common tradition that when the judges go to their chambers after the verdict is reserved, the associate (employee) court of the same court come and announces the verdict which is told to him by the judges from the chamber.

In his view, this is the first time that the verdict of both the judges of the bench has been announced but the judgment has not been signed. Usually, after the verdict is pronounced, the judges sign a detailed or short order and issue it then after which release orders are issued in bail cases.

Justice Asjad Javed Gharal has been shifted to Bahawalpur Bench while Justice Sarfraz Dogar has been shifted to Multan Bench. A new bench comprising Justice Alia Neelam and Justice Farooq Haider has been constituted to hear accountability cases.

According to the official, the matter of Shahbaz Sharif's bail application will now go to the referee judge or a new bench, which will decide the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court.

He added that no written order has been issued yet regarding the bail decision, in which case the two judges can now write a separate decision.

Shahbaz Sharif's lawyer Azam Nazir Tarar said that as usual, he went to the court to take a written decision on Shahbaz Sharif's bail, then he found that the decision of the judges was not signed due to disagreement and release orders were not issued.

He said that this was the first case of its kind in which after the verdict was pronounced, two judges disagreed on verdict.

Background

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on June 11, 2019 arrested Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz from the premises of Lahore High Court (LHC) in connection with money laundering and holding assets beyond means.

On February 11, 2020, LHC rejected Hamza Shahbaz's bail plea in illegal assets and money laundering cases.

The anti-corruption watchdog filed a money laundering reference against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif, Hamza Shahbaz, Salman Shabaz and other family members in the accountability court o n August 17, 2020.

On August 20, 2020, an accountability court of Lahore approved the money laundering reference for hearing against Shahbaz Sharif and his family.

On September 28, 2020, Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif was taken into custody after Lahore High Court (LHC) rejected his bail plea in connection with money laundering case.

Shabaz Sharif was previously arrested on October 05, 2018, in connection with Ramzan Sugar Mills and Ashiana Housing Scheme cases.

On November 11, 2020, Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz Sharif were indicted in money laundering reference by accountability court.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on February 24, 2021 ordered to release Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza Shahbaz from jail. The verdict was announced by a two-member bench headed by Justice Sarfraz Dogar. Court ordered opposition leader in provincial assembly to submit two indemnity bonds worth one million each.

On March 26, 2021, Shehbaz Sharif moved bail petition through his counsel Amjad Pervaiz in which it was stated he is in jail for months and it will take time to conclude the trial in the case.

“All records are with the anti-corruption watchdog and no recovery was due to be made in the case. Shehbaz Sharif is unable to fulfill his constitutional responsibilities as opposition leader in national assembly due to being jailed. He is continuously attending the hearing, hence the court is requested to issue his release on bail,” the petition added.

About the reference

NAB has accused Sharif family of accumulating assets worth Rs. 7,328 million, in the last 30 years without justifying the means of income.

The accountability bureau has nominated 20 people in the reference including Shahbaz Sharif’s wife Nusrat, his sons Hamza and Suleman, and daughters Rabia Imran and Javeria Ali. Suleman Shahbaz and his sister Rabia Imran have been declared proclaimed offenders in the case already.

NAB has accused the former chief minister of committing corruption by involving his family members, front men, employees, close fellows and moneychangers. The anti-graft watchdog further alleged that the PML-N President created an organized system of money-laundering formulated fake sources of income to justify the assets acquired beyond known sources of income.

As per NAB, the corruption falls under the National Accountability Ordinance 1999 and money laundering as outlined in the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010.

The other nominated accused in the case are Nisar Ahmad, Ali Muhammad Khan, Muhammad Shoaib Qamar, Qasim Qayyum, Syed Muhammad Tahir Naqvi, Masroor Anwer, Muhammad Usman, Rashid Karamat, Fazal Dad Abbasi and Haroon Yousafzai.