LAHORE — The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Saturday rejected a petition challenging the acquittal of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his two sons in a high-profile money laundering case, providing a major relief to the family.
The petition was filed by Shahzad Akbar, an assistant to former Prime Minister Imran Khan on accountability matters. However, LHC Chief Justice Justice Aalia Neelum dismissed the plea, citing non-perusal of the case.
In July 2023, a special court in Lahore acquitted Suleman Shehbaz, son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a Rs16 billion money laundering case. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his elder son Hamza Shehbaz had already been cleared of charges earlier. The special court also instructed the secretary establishment to initiate legal action against Shahzad Akbar, the former FIA director general, and several FIA officials for filing what it deemed a frivolous and baseless case.
The earlier acquittal of Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz was announced on October 12, 2022, by the same special central court. The LHC’s recent decision effectively upholds those verdicts, closing the chapter on this case for the Sharif family.