Testing times ahead for Sharifs

On Friday, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa dismissed a petition filed by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif seeking permanent bail on medical grounds. “We gave him six weeks bail – as recommended by five medical boards and 31 doctors – for angiography, but the time was spent conducting evaluations and tests. The conduct of the petitioner shows there is no imminent threat to his life and the plea was based more on apprehensions”, said the chief justice. Another member of the bench, Justice Yahya Afridi, said matters must be dealt in accordance with the law and relief should not be afforded on the opinion of individual doctors. The court should only rely on opinions proffered by medical boards, he said. In the wake of the SC decision, Nawaz now has to surrender to jail authorities on May 7 (Tuesday), the day his six-week bail term expires.
Some legal experts are of the view that in case Nawaz Sharif submits application for bail in the high court, it may not entertain his application for the reason that Supreme Court has already refused extension of his bail. The chief justice had made it clear that the SC could not review its order on the basis of new medical reports regarding Nawaz’s health. “Anyone who applies for bail on medical grounds claims his life is in danger”, he said. If that route is taken, the review will become an unending process, he said. On the other hand, track record of PML-N leaders shows that once they go abroad they are not likely to come back, as was the case of former finance minister Ishaq Dar, Shahbaz Sharif, his son in law Imran and his son Salman Shahbaz. Nawaz Sharif’s sons are not likely to come back to face charges.
On 23rd April 2019, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore said that it arrested a suspect who allegedly made illegal telegraphic transfers (TTs) for the family of PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif – a development it deemed pivotal in the money laundering and assets-beyond-known-means-of-income probes. The corruption watchdog’s Lahore chapter, in a press release, had stated that the suspect named Aftab Mehmood was arrested on the basis of important evidence provided by another suspect, identified as Shahid Shafiq, who was himself detained two days ago. “Both the detained suspects are cousins and had been illegally transferring funds into the Sharif family’s accounts through mutual coordination,” the bureau said. NAB Lahore alleged that “Mehmood, through a foreign currency exchange named Usman International operated simultaneously from London and Birmingham and created bogus TTs for Hamza and Salman Shahbaz as well as others.” It is perhaps in this backdrop that Shahbaz Sharif has decided to stay in London.
The bureau further said that during its investigation so far it found evidence of around Rs.3 billion worth of alleged money laundering against Shahbaz Sharif and family. To further enhance the probe, Mehmood will be presented in an accountability court with a view to securing his 15-day physical remand, it added. Members of the Shahbaz family face multiple accountability cases pertaining to alleged ownership of assets beyond their means and alleged involvement in corrupt practices. Hamza, along with his brother Salman, is accused of embezzling Rs.200 million from public funds in order to build a bridge benefiting Ramzan Sugar Mills – of which he is a director – in Chiniot. The money, according to NAB, was released by then chief minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, who is also a suspect in the case. Hamza is also accused of owning assets beyond means and is being probed by a combined investigation team from NAB.