Money laundering case: Difficulties increased for Sharif family

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Difficulties increased for Sharif family as two key accused Shahid Rafique and Aftab Mehmood has become approver against Sharif family in money laundering case. An accountability court on Saturday accepted the plea to transfer the two accused into the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) custody from jail. Both the accused recorded their statements before the magistrate against Shehbaz Sharif family in money laundering. They transferred worth of billion rupees in Shehbaz Sharif, Salman Shehbaz and Hamze accounts through telegraphic transactions. In a key development came after arrest of PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz, two of the accused expressed their willingness to turn approvers in money-laundering cases filed against the Sharifs and others. Two key accused, Shahid Rafique and Aftab Mehmood, have requested the NAB under Section 26 of the NAO 1999 for tendering apology and pledging to become approvers against the members of Sharif family and other co-accused in money-laundering cases NAB Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal also approved the request of both the accused. Earlier, Shahid Rafique during the investigation revealed that he was franchise holder of M/s Zardco Money Exchange Pvt Ltd and M/s AA Exchange but has yet to provide record of all the transactions, one of NAB investigators engaged directly in investigation process said. “We are in process of obtaining record of all the transactions and actual number of franchises held by the accused Shahid Rafique,” he added. Aftab Mehmood is another accused, now in NAB custody, also showed his willingness to become approver against the Sharifs in this money-laundering case, NAB officials said. He had been in cooperation with another accused Fazal Dad Abbasi, Deputy Treasury Manager of Sharif Group who has been conducting financial transactions in the personal bank accounts of different companies, added the officials. In different suspicious transactions another accused Masroor Anwar along with aforesaid accused was identified as conducting huge banking transactions in the bank account of accused Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, officials further revealed.