LAHORE: An FIA court on Wednesday differed indictment of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and former Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz in a 16 billion money laundering case.

Hamza appeared before the court while PM Shehbaz excused himself from appearing over his engagements in the relief and rescue efforts.

The FIA investigation officer submitted report of 21 bank accounts, while the court summoned the bank officials who didn’t provide details of other ten accounts.

PM Shehbaz’s counsel, Amjad Pervaiz requested the court to unfreeze the bank accounts of his clients, who were previously frozen on the court orders. The court then granted permission to withdraw the salaries of employees from the frozen accounts.

During today’s hearing, Shehbaz and Hamza filed pleas for exemption from the hearing.

The court accepted their pleas and adjourned the hearing till September 17.

Shehbaz and his family are facing charges of money laundering of billions of rupees using accounts of their sugar mills and employees, according to the FIA.The court later