Lahore
The Lahore High Court on Tuesday turned down a bail petition filed by Pakistan Muslim League-N Vice President and Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Assembly Muhammad Hamza Shahbaz regarding money laundering and assets beyond means case against him.
A two-member bench headed by Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and comprising Justice Sardar Ahmed Naeem heard the petition. While hearing the case on Tuesday, the court remarked that Hamza Shahbaz had failed to give satisfactory answers regarding his sources of income.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel Salman Aslam Butt stated that money laundering laws do not apply to Hamza as they were introduced after he had allegedly committed the crime.
Hamza’s counsel said the money in question was transferred into his accounts before money laundering laws were introduced.
He recalled that the first ordinance against money laundering was introduced in 2007, which lapsed in 90 days. The second ordinance was introduced in 2009, and the actual law against money laundering was introduced in 2010. The court remarked that if it accepts the applicant’s point of view, the anti-money laundering law will be rendered completely redundant.
