IHC grants 14-day protective bail to Suleman Shehbaz in money laundering case

IHC grants 14-day protective bail to Suleman Shehbaz in money laundering case

Islamabad (Web Desk): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday approved 14-day protective bail for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s son Suleman Shehbaz in the money laundering case.

IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Aamer Farooq and Justice Sardar Ijaz heard  petition filed by Suleman as he surrendered before the court.

During the hearing, the IHC CJ asked Suleman’s counsel that his client has to appear.

Amjad Pervez, Suleman’s lawyer, told the IHC CJ that his client has to appear before a special judge central in Lahore.

The lawyer said that the premier's son was declared as proclaimed offender in his absence, and prayed before court to grant him protective bail to be able to appear in special central court of Lahore.

After arguments, the court granted the protective bail to Suleman and directed him to appear before the relevant court within 14 days.

In his petition before the IHC, Suleman maintained the stance that he left Pakistan in 2018 and the case was registered against him in 2020.

He told the court that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had not issued a call-up notice to him, adding that he was declared a proclaimed offender by the court without any action.

Earlier, the IHC had ordered Suleman to surrender before it by December 13 and restrained authorities from arresting him till then.

The court had issued the order after his lawyer had assured the bench that Suleman would return to the country.

On December 11, Suleman landed in Pakistan after spending over four years of self-exile in the United Kingdom (UK).