Pak anti-graft watchdog freezes properties owned by Shehbaz Sharif, two sons

Pakistan's anti-graft watchdog on Tuesday froze the properties of Opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif and his two sons in different cities, including Lahore and Abbottabad, citing corruption charges.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) issued six orders to freeze assets owned by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Shehbaz Sharif and his sons Hamza Shehbaz and Salman Shehbaz, Dawn newspaper reported.

Shehbaz, 68, is the younger brother of former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who is convicted of corruption. Shehbaz is the current Leader of the Opposition in Pakistan's National Assembly.

Nawaz Sharif, 69 is currently in London after getting bail from a Pakistani court on medical grounds. Shehbaz had accompanied his elder brother to London last month.

The anti-corruption watchdog's orders, each lists separate properties acquired by Shehbaz, Hamza and Salman in different cities, including Lahore, Chiniot, Haripur and Abbottabad.

The orders will remain in place for 15 days, during which NAB will file an application in the relevant accountability court for their confirmation.

According to the NAB, the evidence collected against the three so far had provided NAB with "reasonable grounds for believing" that Shehbaz, Salman and Hamza were involved in "offences of corruption and corrupt practices".

The cases against the father and sons are those of money laundering and assets beyond known sources of income, the report said.

According to NAB, it found that Shehbaz acquired several properties that have now been frozen in the name of his wives Nusrat Shehbaz and Tehmina Durrani in Lahore, Abbottabad and Haripur. Hamza and Salman also acquired several properties in Lahore and Chiniot, which have now been frozen by the NAB.