LAHORE: Pakistan’s anti-graft agency on Friday raided the house of leader of the opposition Mian Shehbaz Sharif in the eastern city of Lahore to arrest his son Hamza Shehbaz in two cases related to money laundering and possession of assets beyond means.
The raid at 96- H Model Town, one of the ancestral homes of the Sharif family, was unsuccessful as private guards and party loyalists present at the scene scuffled with inspectors and tore their clothes, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) said in a statement.
The bureau says it had arrest warrants for Shehbaz, who is a legislator in the Punjab provincial assembly, and the Supreme Court had made it clear that the anti-graft body did not need to inform suspects prior to their arrests.
“Therefore, there has been a clear violation of the law by Hamza Shehbaz,” the statement said. “Those who interfere in NAB’s legal action and the operations of the state will be proceeded against as per the law.”
Malik Muhammad Ahmed, the spokesman for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party of which Shehbaz Sharif is the president, said the NAB inspectors did not have arrest warrants.
Speaking to media after the unsuccessful raid, Hamza Shehbaz also reiterated that NAB officials came without warrants and had violated the sanctity of his home.
“I have a court order saying that I will be informed 10 days prior to arrest,” he said. “For the first time, I felt like we are terrorists, the way the raid was conducted,” he added, saying he had always cooperated with NAB authorities and appeared before the body whenever was summoned.
“What was the need for this step?” Shehbaz said. “I am not afraid of arrest but NAB used unlawful tactics because the government asked it to.”
Shahbaz Gill, a spokesman for the Punjab government, said NAB was an autonomous institution and did not require the government’s permission to carry out any action.
NAB has now summoned Sharif and his two sons, Hamza Shehbaz and Salman Shehbaz, to file their replies in the money laundering and possession of assets beyond means cases on April 9.
Shehbaz Sharif was arrested last October in a longstanding corruption case nine days before crucial by-elections were due to be held. His brother, ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, was sentenced last year to 10 years in prison by a NAB court after the Supreme Court removed him from power.
Nawaz Sharif has denounced corruption cases against him and his party’s leaders as politically motivated, and both brothers deny any wrongdoing.
Pakistan's accountability bureau raids home of Shehbaz Sharif to arrest son
Pakistan's accountability bureau raids home of Shehbaz Sharif to arrest son
- Scuffle broke out between NAB officials and Sharif’s private guards foiling the raid
- Hamza Shehbaz accused NAB of “unlawful tactics” under government’s pressure
Pakistan’s Sindh forms judicial commission after deadly Gul Plaza fire
- Probe to examine evacuation routes, fire safety audits and possible role of authorities
- Commission, headed by Justice Agha Faisal, will submit its findings within eight weeks
ISLAMABAD: Sindh’s provincial government on Tuesday formed a judicial commission to examine building approvals, evacuation routes, fire safety audits and possible negligence by authorities following a deadly fire at Gul Plaza, as officials vowed to fix responsibility for any lapses.
The fire at Gul Plaza last month, which engulfed a multi-story commercial complex, killed at least 67 people and left more than 15 missing, triggering renewed criticism of lax enforcement of building codes and emergency preparedness in Pakistan’s largest city.
Authorities said the blaze spread rapidly through the building, complicating rescue efforts and raising questions about wiring, access routes and fire safety systems in older markets.
“Responsibility will be fixed against any government officials or building management found negligent, and no lapse at any level will be overlooked,” Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar said, according to an official statement.
The commission, headed by Justice Agha Faisal of the Sindh High Court, will review construction approvals, the legal status of the building’s lease and violations of approved plans, the statement said.
It will also examine whether emergency evacuation routes were obstructed and assess the adequacy of fire-fighting arrangements and safety audits.
The inquiry will further investigate the causes of the fire, conditions at the time of the incident and the speed and effectiveness of rescue operations, while identifying any negligence by relevant authorities.
Under the notification, the commission is required to submit its findings within eight weeks, with the Karachi commissioner directed to provide secretarial support.
The Sindh administration reiterated its commitment to ensuring relief for victims and delivering justice in the case.
