Shahbaz Sharif arrested ahead of planned protests

Lahore - PML-N leader was arrested in money laundering case

Pakistan's anti-graft body arrested Shahbaz Sharif of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) party on Monday over his alleged involvement in a money laundering case after a court rejected bail for him, a move coming just before planned protests next month by his party seeking to force Prime Minister Imran Khan's resignation.
Shahbaz was arrested at court following the bail denial, said Faisal Raza Bukhari, a lawyer for the National Accountability Bureau. The anti-graft body now will question Shahbaz at their jail, Bukhari said.
The Pakistan Muslim League party criticised his arrest as being politically motivated. It comes a week after Shahbaz Sharif's brother, Nawaz Sharif, who served thrice as Pakistan's prime minister, broke a nearly yearlong silence from exile in London, vowing to oust Khan from office through the protests. Nawaz Sharif accused Khan of only reaching power with the military's help.
Prime Minister Khan's government has dismissed Nawaz's allegation, saying the opposition is only united because they fear ongoing corruption cases targeting them.

• Pakistan