Lahore: Opposition leader in Pakistan's Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz was arrested Tuesday outside the Lahore High Court by the officials of the country's anti-graft body in cases related to money laundering and corruption.
The arrest took place after a two-member Lahore High Court (LHC) bench dismissed bail applications filed by Hamza, 44, after his lawyer opted to withdraw the pleas in two corruption cases.
Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) vice president is under investigation by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the Ramzan Sugar Mills, Saaf Paani project and assets beyond known means of income cases. He is accused of laundering money through his front men who are already in NAB's custody.
Hamza, the son of PML-N president and National Assembly opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif, told reporters prior to his arrest that the vindictive government of "puppet Prime Minister (Imran) Khan" could not even prove a one rupee corruption against him and his other family members.
"I will quit politics if it is proven that I was involved in corrupt practices," said Hamza whose father is also facing corruption cases but he is out on bail. His arrest comes a day after former president Asif Ali Zardari was arrested by NAB in Islamabad.
The suporters of both PML-N and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) held demonstrations in Lahore and other parts of Punjab province against the arrest of their top leaders.
The opposition says the arrests of its top leadership will not stop it from launching a movement against the government that has failed to deliver on every front and is making the lives of Pakistanis miserable.
The lawyers are also gearing up for launching a drive against the government for sending references against two 'upright' judges for possessing off-shore properties.
The Supreme Court Bar Association has given a country-wide protest call against the government's action on June 14.
On April 5, the accountability watchdog had failed in its bid to arrest Hamza in a case of money laundering and owning assets beyond means as it faced strong resistance from the Sharif family's security men as well as PML-N supporters.