Ramzan Sugar Mills case: LHC notice to NAB on Hamza’s plea

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court Wednesday issued notice to the National Accountability Bureau on the post-arrest bail petition of PML-N leader Hamza Shahbaz in Ramazan Sugar Mills money- laundering case. A two-member bench of the Lahore High Court headed by Justice Ali Baqir Najafi heard the case. As the hearing commenced, Justice Najafi asked Hamza’s lawyer that his client had expressed no-trust over the bench during the hearing of his pre-arrest bail. “We have full confidence in the bench,” Hamza’s counsel Amjad Pervaiz said.

Previously bench didn’t give its decision over the bail petition as we had taken the petition back, the counsel further said. “We want this bench to hear the case,” he added. The court issued notices to NAB for January 13 and sought replies. The petitioner through his counsel argued that the NAB has initiated Ramzan Sugar Mills inquiry with malicious intent. They initiated inquiry a number of times but failed to find any irregularity, petition said. Hamza Shahbaz is the Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly and his arrest has made it difficult for him to perform his duties. The NAB had submitted a supplementary reference in corruption probe against Hamza on November 28.