LAHORE (MNN); The Lahore High Court on Tuesday upheld an objection regarding the maintainability of a petition filed against the acquittal of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his sons in a Rs16 billion money laundering case.
The case was heard by LHC Chief Justice Aalia Neelum, who examined the plea filed by a young lawyer as an objection case. The registrar’s office had earlier raised concerns over the petitioner’s locus standi, questioning his legal right to challenge the acquittal.
During proceedings, the chief justice asked the petitioner’s counsel, Amir Saeed Rawn, to clarify how his client qualified as an aggrieved party in the matter.
The court also noted that the Federal Investigation Agency, which prosecuted the case, had not filed any appeal against the trial court’s acquittal verdict.
In response, the petitioner’s counsel argued that the acquittal, issued in December 2022, ignored substantial evidence. He further alleged that the FIA had colluded with the accused to secure their acquittal.
The lawyer contended that courts could entertain petitions in matters of public interest, even if filed after a delay. However, Chief Justice Neelum upheld the registrar’s objection, effectively dismissing the petition on maintainability grounds.
Legal experts maintain that appeals in criminal cases can only be filed by the prosecution or the accused, limiting the scope for third-party intervention.
The FIA had originally registered the case in November 2020 against Shehbaz Sharif and his sons, Hamza Shehbaz and Suleman Shehbaz, under multiple provisions of corruption and anti-money laundering laws.
A special court in October 2022 acquitted Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz, stating that there was no likelihood of conviction even if all prosecution evidence was considered. Suleman Shehbaz was later acquitted in July 2023.
The trial court had also directed the Establishment Division to take action against former accountability adviser Mirza Shahzad Akbar and certain FIA officials for initiating what it termed a baseless prosecution.
Akbar had challenged the trial court’s decision in the LHC, but his appeal was dismissed in 2025 due to non-prosecution.
