A special court in Lahore on Wednesday acquitted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and former Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz in the Rs 16 billion money laundering case.
The verdict was delivered on Wednesday evening, hours after the court reserved its verdict.
On Wednesday, Special Court Central Judge Ejaz Awan heard the arguments of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in which Shehbaz and Hamza had filed an acquittal plea in the case.
During the hearing, the court asked the FIA to produce evidence to substantiate its claims.
However, the FIA could not satisfy the court on the evidence presented by them.
On Wednesday afternoon, after the arguments of all the parties in the case were completed, the court had reserved its verdict in the case.
Later, he read out the verdict, accepting the pleas and acquitting Shahbaz and Hamza, citing the lack of conclusive evidence to prove that the suspects committed the crime. What is it was imposed on them.
The court adjourned the hearing on the other 14 suspects involved till the end of October.
The FIA had filed a chargesheet in the case in March this year and accused more than a dozen people, including a father-son duo, of laundering around Rs 16 billion using their accounts.
As the news of the verdict spread, the assembled Muslim League-N supporters started celebrating and distributed sweetmeat among themselves.
Earlier, Shahbaz and Hamza were granted immunity from appearing in person in court for Wednesday’s hearing.
Shahbaz says ‘Truth has won.
Although he was not in the country when the verdict was delivered, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif kept a close eye on the case and posted a tweet on his acquittal.
In a social media message, Shahbaz Sharif wrote that the fake, baseless and political case of money laundering against him has been dismissed.
He further said that this case is the worst example of holding the state hostage to target political opponents. Despite the best efforts of his opponents, he said he could stand up to the law and the public.
حق ذات نے پھر فضل فرمایا، منی لانڈرنگ کے جھوٹے، بے بنیاد، سیاسی انتقام پر مبنی مقدمے سے بریت کا یہ دن دکھایا، اس پر اللہ تعالیٰ کا جتناشکر اداکریں، کم ہے۔ بدترین چیرہ دستیوں، ریاستی قوت کے استعمال اور اداروں کو یرغمال بنانے کے باوجود ہم عدالت، قانون اور عوام کے سامنے سرخرو ہوئے۔
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) October 12, 2022
