LAHORE: An accountability court on Friday sought arguments on acquittal application of Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and a counter plea of the prosecution in the Ramzan Sugar Mills reference.

       Earlier, Shehbaz and his son Hamza appeared before two accountability courts to attend proceedings of three references – money laundering, Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme and the sugar mills. The hearings were adjourned owing to strike of the legal fraternity on the call of the Supreme Court Bar Association in the country.

       Shehbaz requested the court to adjourn the hearings for a longer date saying he, being the leader of opposition, was busy due to the filing of a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

       Presiding Judge Sajid Awan turned down the request and asked Shehbaz to do whatever he was supposed to and let the court do its work.

       The judge adjourned the hearings of the housing scheme and sugar mills references till March 18 and sought arguments from both sides on the acquittal of Shehbaz in the mills’ reference.

       The other court deferred the hearing in the money-laundering reference till March 22.

       In the sugar mills reference, the NAB accused Shehbaz of issuing a directive, being the chief minister, for the construction of a drain to benefit the Ramzan Sugar Mills owned by his sons Hamza and Suleman. It said Rs200 million were spent for this purpose out of the public money.

       In his acquittal plea, Shehbaz denied the charges and contended that the proceedings against him were prompted with mala fide intention.

       He said the proceedings were politically motivated at the behest of the present government for settling scores. He said the construction of the (drain) was a public welfare project undertaken on the move by the MPA concerned and not for the benefit of the mill.

       Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2022