Shehbaz Sharif appears before FIA in money laundering case

According to details, the notice sent by the FIA ​​sought a reply from Shahbaz Sharif on the transfer of Rs25 billion to the accounts of junior employees in Ramzan Sugar Mills and was summoned at the agency’s ​​Lahore office.

A day before, an additional district and sessions judge granted pre-arrest bail to both PML-N leaders in the multi-billion sugar scam.

Shahbaz Sharif was already sent a questionnaire consisting of 20 questions through his advisor and was directed to answer those questions.

The opposition leader was present in the FIA ​​office for about an hour where a five-member team led by FIA Punjab Zone 1 Director Dr Rizwan interrogated him.

Strict security arrangements were made outside the FIA ​​office for the appearance of the opposition leader while PML-N workers were also gathered outside the FIA ​​office.

According to the FIA, Shehbaz and his family members laundered money using 20 bank accounts of peons, clerks, cashiers and warehouse managers employed in the sugar mills.

About Rs2.70 billion was laundered in the name of peon Maqsood and about Rs2.80 billion was laundered in the name of Haji Naeem.

The anti-corruption watchdog further added that about Rs2.5 billion was laundered in the name of another employee working as a driver whereas about Rs1.75 billion was laundered in the name of a peon named Aslam.

The FIA further claimed that about Rs4.5 billion was laundered in the name of clerks Azhar and Ghulam Shabir Hayat.

The names of Qaiser Abbas, Akbar, Iqrar, Anwar, Yaseen, Ghazanfar, Tauqeer, Zafar Iqbal, Kashif Majeed and Masroor Anwar were also used, the FIA added.

The FIA further accused the chief financial officer of Sharif Group of Companies of supervising all money laundering whereas Shahbaz’s camp office was used to collect the money and sacks of notes were delivered to Salman Shahbaz's office under police protocol.

The agency had also summoned Shehbaz’s son, Hamza Shehbaz on June 24.