Ramzan Sugar Mills case: Court defers indicting Shahbaz, Hamza till Apr 9

LAHORE: An accountability court has deferred till April 9 the indictment of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shahbaz in the Ramzan Sugar Mills case.

The father-son duo appeared before accountability court Judge Syed Najamul Hassan Bukhari in connection with the Ashiana-e-Iqbal and the Ramzan Sugar Mills cases on Wednesday.

During the hearing, Shahbaz’s counsel requested the delay after the court hinted at indicting Shahbaz and Hamza in the Ramzan Sugar Mills case. He argued that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had not provided them with the complete case record and some relevant documents were provided by the bureau that very day.

He also argued that time was needed to study the documents and so the indictment should not take place. At this, the court accepted the defence’s request and adjournedfurther hearing of the Ramzan Sugar Mills case until April 9 while allowing Shahbaz and Hamza to leave after their attendance.

The NAB had filed a reference against Shahbaz and Hamza, alleging the PML-N president, as Punjab chief minister, misused his authority and got a 10km sludge carrier in Chiniot constructed to facilitate the mill, which was owned by his sons.

It is noteworthy that the Lahore High Court had already granted bail to Shahbaz in the Ashiana-e-Iqbal and Ramzan Sugar Mills cases.Also on Wednesday, a judicial magistrate testified in the Ashiana case, which was adjourned for further hearing.

The court had indicted the accused after the anti-graft body filed a supplementary reference against the Public Accounts Committee Chairman and 12 others in the Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing case. The NAB accused Shahbaz of misusing his authority which resulted in the project’s failure, depriving 61,000 applicants of housing units.

NAB alleged that Shahbaz, in connivance with former Lahore Development Authority DG Ahad Cheema, awarded the contract to a proxy. The NAB had already filed a reference against Cheema and five others over their alleged role in the case.