Shehbaz Sharif, the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA) and President of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), claimed on Thursday that he is innocent and has nothing to do with the corruption allegations leveled against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Shehbaz Sharif stated that his policies benefited the people of the province while speaking at the rostrum during the hearing of a money laundering case at an accountability court (AC) in Lahore. “In my capacity as Punjab chief minister, I made actions that harmed my commercial interests,” he continued.
On the occasion, counsel for the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) told the court that there were several proofs in the money laundering case against Shehbaz Sharif and his son, Punjab Assembly Leader Hamza Shehbaz.
He read the challan in front of the court.
The judge said it was of little help when the PML-N president made reasons in his defence. “First and foremost, we must identify the court’s jurisdiction,” he explained, “and then we will rule on the matter.”
After delivering Shehbaz and Hamza copies of the challan, the AC postponed the hearing until December 24 for argument on the merits of the challan, while deferring hearing on the accused’s bail requests until January 4.
Meanwhile, Hamza Shehbaz, addressing outside the accountability court, attacked the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) administration, saying it promised to build a “Nya Pakistan,” but instead shook the foundations of “Purana Pakistan.” “Today’s situation is so dire that people are going hungry. So much so that even medications are now out of reach,” he said, adding that the government has promised three times a day gas delivery to the public. “However, it has failed to deliver on that promise,” he continued.
Hamza stated that the PTI government’s day of reckoning has arrived. “It’s a pity that the government is claiming a ‘bumper’ wheat harvest while farmers aren’t getting fertilisers,” he lamented.
