An accountability court would proceed with the references against Hamza Shahbaz, Maryam Nawaz and their cousin Yousaf Abbas in money laundering references on September 04. All the accused are in the custody of National Accountability Bureau on physical remand. The NAB accused them of massive money laundering in the name of foreign remittances in their bank accounts found to be fictitious. The suspects also established benami accounts and companies.

Two co-suspects namely Aftab Mahmood and Shahid Rafiq also turned approvers against the suspects and recorded their statements before a judicial magistrate. The approvers confessed to committing money laundering for the suspects' family to the tune of 2.430 million US dollars. The court had allowed the NAB to initiate process for the confiscation of assets owned by Suleman Shahbaz brother of Hamza Shahbz following his failure to join the investigation.

The police closed all roads leading to the complex by placing containers, iron-fence and barbwires paralyzing movement of pedestrians and the traffic in the vicinity. Scores of party workers managed to reach the complex despite the barricades, however, could not make it to the court.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019