Accountability court adjourns hearing of Ramzan Sugar Mills reference

The accountability court on Saturday adjourned the hearing of Ramzan Sugar Mills reference against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Chief Minister of Punjab Hamza Shehbaz.

Hamza did not attend the hearing and sought a onetime exemption from personal appearance on account of an official meeting relating to monsoon rains.

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An application filed in this regard said the applicant being the chief minister was scheduled to chair a high level meeting and briefing by Punjab Disaster Management Authority to oversee emergency arrangements for safety of citizens.

The court allowed the application and adjourned the hearing till Aug 13.

In this reference, PM Shehbaz had already been granted permanent exemption from personal appearance.

The NAB alleged that Shehbaz being chief minister and his son Hamza with the abetment and connivance of each other caused a loss to national exchequer of Rs213 million by committing the offence of misuse of authority.

In another reference of Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme, the court allowed an application of PM Shehbaz for onetime exemption from personal appearance and adjourned the hearing till Aug 13.

Other accused including former head of LDA Ahad Khan Cheema appeared before the court.

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The NAB alleged that Shehbaz and other accused persons caused a huge loss to national exchequer by awarding the contract of the housing scheme to a company without bidding.

Former principal secretary to the prime minister Fawad Hassan Fawad is also an accused in this reference and a pleader, approved by the court, attends the hearings.