Staff Reporter
PML-N leader and Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz submitted on Tuesday a bail application in the Lahore High Court in the assets beyond means and money laundering cases.
Hamza said in his application that he has been incarcerated for 19 months. The reference against Hamza was filed 14 months after the arrest and he was indicted after 16 months, the application read. There seems to be no end in sight for the trial, Hamza said in his application.
Many facts have emerged since the reference was filed and bail can be granted on these grounds, the application read.
There are 110 witnesses in the assets beyond means case and so far only five have been cross-examined, said Atta Tarar, Hamza Shahbaz’s lawyer. Even if the case is heard on an everyday basis, it will still take 10-12 months, he added.
We have found material that shows that the prosecution has no case at all, said Hamza’s lawyer Amjad Pervaiz. There has been no evidence of corruption, taking kickbacks, or exceeding authority, Pervaiz said. They were talking to the media outside the court. Hamza’s legal team had submitted the application in the Supreme Court which was later withdrawn. The application has now been submitted to the Lahore High Court and a two-member bench will hear the case.
