Pakistan: Suleman Shahbaz, the fugitive son of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, returned to Pakistan on Sunday morning, 11 December, to face corruption charges. He was living in London for the last four years.
Suleman was living in London after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed cases against him and his family ahead of the 2018 general elections. He joined the investigation for a few days, but then went to London.
High Court gave relief
A few days back, the Islamabad High Court, during a hearing on a petition by Suleman, had restrained the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the NAB from arresting him in the money laundering case. The court had directed him to surrender before 13 December.
The Pakistan Muslim League (N) also shared a video on its official Twitter account of Suleman returning home and meeting and hugging his father.
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Why did you leave Pakistan?
Suleman had said in a statement before his return that he was forced to leave Pakistan for his own safety after “fake” cases were filed against him and his family for helping build the new dispensation. He described these cases as the worst example of political harassment.
The FIA had registered a case against Shehbaz Sharif and his sons Hamza and Suleman in November 2020 under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
were declared fugitives
An arrest warrant was issued against Suleman. However, in its report submitted to the court, the FIA had said that the warrant could not be executed as Suleman was not present at his address and had gone abroad. The trial court had also declared Suleiman and another suspect as proclaimed offenders in the Rs 16 billion money laundering case in July this year.