ISLAMABAD:
Salman Shehbaz, the son of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has returned to Pakistan following a four-year absence.
Early on Sunday morning, Salman Shehbaz arrived at Islamabad Airport on aircraft SV-726.
The accountability watchdog issued a warrant for Salman Shehbaz owing to charges of money laundering and the telegraphic transfer scam. The UK government had received a letter from the National Accountability Bureau asking for his surrender. In a case concerning money laundering, a 2019 accountability court also issued non-bailable arrest warrants for him.
When Shehbaz Sharif’s son arrived from London on December 8, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) prevented the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from detaining him.
During Salman Shehbaz’s application for protective bail, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan issued the rulings.
Salman Shehbaz’s attorney requested protective bail at the beginning of the hearing and stated that his client will fly Saudi Airlines to return to Pakistan on December 11. Later, the court ordered him to present himself at the IHC by December 13 and prohibited the FIA from detaining him upon his arrival at the Islamabad airport.
It is important to note that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) requested the UK government in a letter to turn over the PML-N president’s son who was wanted by the accountability watchdog on suspicion of money laundering and in connection with the Telegraphic Transfer case.