From Abid Usman
LAHORE: An accountability court in Lahore on Thursday indicted National Assembly Opposition Leader and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif and Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Hamza Shahbaz in Ramzan Sugar Mills reference.
NAB accuses Shahbaz of approving the construction of a drain in Chiniot with a cost of Rs360 million only to benefit the sugar mill owned by his sons, Hamza and Salman. According to the bureau, the approval for the construction was given on a fake application filed by then MPA Maulana Rehmatullah to paint the drain as a public project. But, it adds, public funds were misused for the benefit of the family business of the suspects.
During the hearing, presided over by Justice Amjad Nazir Chaudhry, the accused pleaded not guilty. The judge also rejected a request seeking more time to prepare the case. Terming the reference as fake, the former Punjab chief minister said he was being unfairly dragged into the case as he always worked with honesty and served the province for ten years.
“I didn’t take a salary and petrol money during my tenure. I brought in foreign investment for economic stability,” he said.
Subsequently, the accountability court summoned the witnesses in the next hearing and directed the parties to record their arguments in the next hearing.
Meanwhile, Soon after Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz were indicted in a reference pertaining to money laundering through Ramzan Sugar Mills, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday directed PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz to appear in person to respond to accusations of illegally transferring 200 acres of Jati Umra land in her name.
This is not the first allegation Maryam is facing as she has already been accused of money laundering and possessing assets beyond means in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case.
In August 2019, she was arrested in the Ramzan Sugar Mills case while she was visiting her incarcerated father in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail. Before being shifted to the Kot Lakhpat jail, she also spent some time in NAB’s detention, after the anti-graft body had obtained her physical remand from an accountability court. Later, in December, the Lahore High Court (LHC) granted her bail and she was released from prison.
Earlier this month, NAB had arrested Muhammad Usman – the chief financial officer of the Sharif Group of Companies, and got a 14-day physical remand from an accountability court in Lahore.
On Thursday, Shehbaz told a court before his indictment that he might be a sinful person, but he did not leave any stone unturned for serving the people. “I have served the people of Punjab for 10 years,” added the PML-N president.
“The prosecution can say whatever they want to but they know in their hearts what the reality is,” remarked Shehbaz who said he had visited all parts of Punjab for serving the masses but did not claim any traveling allowance and dearness allowance (TA/DA) for his vehicle which amounted to millions of rupees.
Shehbaz told the court that he launched projects and brought investment worth trillions of rupees and even saved a total amount of Rs100 billion in the Orange Line project.
The PML-N president said that he had been accused of corruption through the construction of a drain costing Rs200 million and questioned why he would do such a thing when he had not even claimed TA/DA.
Moreover, Hearing of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LNG) scandal against former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was adjourned without any proceedings till September 7.
The hearing was adjourned due to unavailability of AC Judge Azam Khan.
Talking to media men after appearing before the court, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz stalwart said despite passage of 13 months, he has not been provided with the copy of reference.
Khaqan also thanked National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for inducting him in the list of billionaires. Replying to a question, the former prime minister ruled out allegations of money laundering and stated that he and his son paid all the taxes and the money in their accounts is legitimate. He demanded disbanding of NAB.
Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Miftah Ismail, ex-PSO MD Imranul Haq and others are facing charges of corruption over awarding a LNG import contract allegedly at exorbitant rates in 2015, which caused a big loss to the national exchequer. NAB sources said that Abbasi, in 2013, had awarded a LNG import and distribution contract to the Elengy Terminal in violation of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules and relevant laws.
