Shahbaz, Hamza indicted in Ramzan Sugar Mills case

LAHORE: An accountability court on Tuesday indicted Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shahbaz in Ramzan Sugar Mills case.

Both the PML-N leaders appeared before Accountability Court Judge Syed Najamul Hassan Bukhari in connection with Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing and Ramzan Sugar Mills cases. They pleaded not guilty and contended to contest charges after the court indicted them in Ramzan Sugar Mills case.

The court has summoned prosecution witnesses for recording their statements on the next date of hearing while adjourning the matter. A number of PML-N workers were present to express their support for the party leaders. Strict security arrangements were made on the occasion.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed a reference against Shahbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shahbaz, alleging Sharif as chief minister Punjab misused his authority and got constructed a 10 kilometers sludge carrier in district Chiniot to facilitate Ramzan Sugar Mills, which was owned by his sons.

The bureau alleged the step caused a loss of Rs213 million to the national exchequer. It is pertinent to mention here a Lahore High Court division bench had already granted bail to Sharif in Ashiana-e-Iqbal and Ramzan Sugar Mills cases.

Meanwhile, an accountability court on Tuesday handed over an alleged frontman of Shahbaz Sharif family to the NAB on physical remand till April 23 in a money laundering case.

Earlier, NAB officials produced the accused, Muhammad Mushtaq, before Accountability Court Judge Jawadul Hassan and requested for physical remand of the accused. The officials submitted the accused allegedly aided and connived with the Shahbaz family in money laundering. He transferred over Rs 500 million to Salman Shahbaz accounts, they claimed. The court handed over the accused to the NAB on 14 days physical remand.

It is pertinent to mention here a federal department arrested the accused on Monday from Allama Iqbal International Airport when he was trying to leave for Dubai.