PM Shehbaz and his sons Hamza and Suleman had been named by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in the money laundering case in 2020. Judge Ijaz Awan announced the verdict after the prosecution told the court no funds had been transferred into the accounts of the accused.
Suleman Sharif had been earlier declared proclaimed offender for regularly failing to appear before the court.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), in a tweet on its official handle, termed the proceedings "fabricated" which were bound to conclude. "Another fabricated case created for political victimisation comes to it's inevitable end Alhumdulillah. Verily, falsehood is bound to perish as promised by the Almighty."
PM Shehbaz hailed the verdict as the Almighty having done justice again in a tweet. He said the Sharifs stood vindicated before the people, the court and the law despite institutions having been held hostage and the power of the State having been employed against them.
Special Assistant to prime minister Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan had to answer for squandering public finances. He asked who will be held accountable for the time the Shehbaz father and son had lost. Tarar said Shahzad Akbar had framed the prime minister in a false case on Imran's directives. He said the verdict had buried the false corruption narrative of the PTI chairman. Tarar said Imran and his accomplices must think twice before terming anybody a crook. He said Imran was destined for nothing but ignominy.
Taking to microblogging, the PTI came all guns blazing. The party said since a cabal of crooks was ruling the roost now and courts were letting them off sans trial, "this offer" stood extended to all such elements. The party said those apiring to launder ill-gotten wealth must establish contact with Shehbaz Sharif "Cargo" company. The offer, the PTI said, comes with a money-back guarantee.