Hamza Shehbaz files acquittal plea in Ramzan Sugar Mills reference

LAHORE: Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz applied to an accountability court seeking acquittal in Ramzan Sugar Mills reference.

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Hamza, in his plea submitted on Monday, stated that after amendments in the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), the reference against him had become ineffective, and there was no likelihood of his conviction.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed the reference against Hamza for allegedly getting a drain built with the public funds to facilitate the Ramzan Sugar Mills.

“This reference of the NAB is based on malicious and political grounds and made at the behest of the present government,” Hamza said in his pleas.

Requesting the accountability to acquit him in the reference, he claimed that the corruption watchdog could not prove any charges against him.

“The canal constructed is not owned by Ramzan Sugar Mills or any private company,” he added.

In its reference, the NAB alleged that Hamza’s father, also President Pakistan Muslim Nawaz (PML-N) Shehbaz Sharif, had issued directives for constructing a drain in Chiniot district during his tenure as Punjab chief minister for Ramzan Sugar Mills, owned by his sons.

The bureau said that the Sharif family had “fraudulently and dishonestly” caused Rs213 million loss to the national exchequer.

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The NAB claimed it had “sufficient incriminating” material and evidence during the investigation against them and prayed to the court to try and punish Hamza and Shehbaz. However, the father and son pleaded not guilty in Ramzan Sugar Mills reference.