Historic day in political career, Shehbaz Sharif on Hudaibiya SC verdict

LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif said on Friday that it is a great day in his political career as he has been 'cleared of all the charges' in the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case.

The chief minister Punjab’s statement came after the Supreme Court announced its verdict in the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case, dismissing the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) request to re-open the case.

“All trumped up charges were defeated through truth,” said Shehbaz, adding that the apex court gave a historic verdict.

“Have seen several ups and downs lately, grateful to those who supported me” said Shehbaz.

The chief minister, later in the day, posted on Twitter regarding the SC verdict.

“SC verdict in Hudabya is a victory for truth and honesty,” said Shehbaz Sharif.

Earlier on Friday, a three-member apex court bench dismissed the NAB's appeal to reopen the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case.

Hearing the case since November 28, the court announced its judgment today in a majority decision.

The one-line order, read out by Justice Alam, states that NAB's appeal to reopen the case is dismissed and a detailed verdict will be issued later.

The Rs1.2 billion Hudaibiya Paper Mills case, involving money laundering charges against the Sharif family, was initiated by NAB in 2000 but quashed by the Lahore High Court (LHC) in 2014. The NAB had appealed the LHC decision in the Supreme Court.

It was in relation to this case that the Sharif family's trusted aide, Ishaq Dar, recorded a confessional statement on April 25, 2000 in front of a magistrate in Lahore accepting his role in laundering money.

That reference was struck down by a referee judge of the LHC on March 11, 2014 in response to a writ petition filed in 2011 stating that Dar's confession was coerced.