PM Shehbaz, son Hamza acquitted in Ramzan Sugar Mills case
Pakistan
NAB accused Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz of misusing PKR 210 million from the national treasury
LAHORE (Muhammad Ashfaq) – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son, Hamza Shehbaz, were acquitted in the Ramzan Sugar Mills case on Thursday.
The verdict was announced by Judge Sardar Muhammad Iqbal Dogar of the Lahore Accountability Court, who ordered the dismissal of charges against the two political figures.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed the reference on February 18, 2019, accusing Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz of misusing PKR 210 million from the national treasury to construct a drain for Ramzan Sugar Mills.
The court had reserved its decision on February 3, while on January 28, the prosecution’s key witness, Zulfiqar Ali, distanced himself from the reference, leading to their acquittal.
It may be recalled that the NAB filed a reference in 2018 alleging that Shehbaz, then chief minister, and his son Hamza, with the abetment of each other, had caused a loss of Rs213 million to the national exchequer by committing the offence of misuse of authority.
It said Shehbaz, as a chief minister, had issued a directive for construction of a drain in Chiniot district primarily for the use of the sugar mills owned by his sons Hamza and Suleman.
