LAHORE, Jan 14 (APP): Adviser to Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Barrister Shahzad Akbar Friday said that Nawaz Sharif was the biggest obstacle to rise to power for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif, but now they would have to decide who would lead the party.
Addressing a press conference at 90 Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam, he said that it had been proved now that Shehbaz Sharif was a money launderer. He said all applications, filed in the court by Shehbaz Sharif had been rejected. Lately, he (Shehbaz) tried to hide the matter by claiming that matters pertaining to business should be asked from his children.
Shahzad Akbar said that secret and undeclared bank accounts surfaced after investigation into Ramzan Sugar Mill’s record but Shehbaz Sharif insisted that he should not be asked about such accounts, adding that he would have to be accountable for such accounts and money laundering as he owned Ramzan Sugar Mills, which made unusual profits and progress during his tenure as the Punjab chief minister. The banks could not make Shehbaz Sharif accountable as he was then chief minister, he asserted.
Shahzad Akbar said that he could see a change in the house of the Sharifs as, after every week, the party leader was being changed. “We approached the court after his (Shehbaz’s) corrupt practices and corruption came to the fore,” he added.
The adviser questioned about Aurangzaib Butt, who was involved in firstly depositing payments into bank account of a peon and then withdrawing the same for again depositing it into Shehbaz Sharif’s bank accounts so he (Shehbaz) should answer about how such payments were deposited into his bank account. He said that evidence pertaining to such cases were solid so these would meet the logical end.
He said that the role of bankers as regulator was a failure, but there was no evidence of bankers’ involvement, so the Federal Investigation Agency had forwarded the case to State Bank of Pakistan regarding the role of bankers, after which the SBP could take action as per its regulatory policy. The case was made by the FIA after the report of the Sugar Commission, he said.
Shahzad Akbar said that Shehbaz Sharif had given guarantee of his brother Nawaz Sharif but later he did not abide by the directions of the court, adding that Nawaz Sharif, besides a single letter, had not submitted any details about what medical treatment he was getting in London. That was why proceedings of contempt of court could be started against Shehbaz Sharif who was guarantor in Nawaz Sharif’s case of going abroad for medical treatment.
The court could order Shehbaz Sharif for bringing Nawaz Sharif back to the country, he said and added that Nawaz Sharif was just to appear in the Pakistan High Commission in United Kingdom, after which he would be brought back with respect and dignity.
To a question, Shahzad Akbar said that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was a non-serious character and it was inappropriate to respond yo his statements.
Shahzad said if PML-N leader Azma Bukhari had any evidence, she could go to Anti-Corruption, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and FIA.
To another query, he said that the Federal Investigation Agency, after taking notice of the video of tiktoker Hareem Shah, started an investigation pertaining to money laundering matter. The video was also shared with a UK Agency so that they too could check the records.
