ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday granted 14 day protective bail Suleman Shahbaz and directed him to appear before the court hearing the money laundering case against him.
During the hearing, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq asked Suleman’s counsel about the court his client has to appear.
Amjad Pervez, Suleman Shahbaz’s lawyer, told the IHC CJ that his client has to appear before a special judge central in Lahore.
Justice Farooq, after learning this granted the protective bail to PM’s son and directed him to appear before the relevant court within 14 days.
In his petition before the IHC, Suleman contended that he left Pakistan in 2018 and the case was registered against him in 2020. He also shared 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.
The IHC had earlier ordered Suleman to surrender before it by December 13 and barred authorities from arresting him till then.
The court had issued the order after his client had assured the bench that Suleman would return to the country.
Following the court’s order, Suleman landed in Pakistan after spending over four years of self-exile in the United Kingdom on Sunday.
Addressing the media after the court hearing, Suleman slammed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and said that his time of accountability is here.
“The time of accountability is here; we will not spare him. We will not give him any space now, he will be punished,” said Suleman.
Asking about Farah Gogi, a friend of Imran Khan’s wife who allegedly sold the watches gifted to Khan, Suleman wondered why did she run away from Pakistan.
“You are crying that Farah Gogi is not a public office holder. I was not a public office holder either,” said Suleman. He added that PTI chairman, while he was in power, did not even think about women and arrested them.
“You had the power, you could have proven the cases,” said Suleman.
The PM’s son also slammed former National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Javed Iqbal, saying that he was a “black stain” on the accountability system.
Suleman shared that a case was filed at the Pakistani government’s request, during Imran Khan’s tenure, in the United Kingdom. However, he added that the UK’s National Crime Agency found no proof of money laundering against his father.
The PM’s son asked the PTI chief to show the transaction of the money he got from selling the watches gifted by the Saudi crown prince.
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