NAB opposes Hamza Shehbaz's acquittal plea

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has opposed Punjab Assembly opposition leader Hamza Shehbaz’s application seeking his acquittal in Ramazan Sugar Mills reference.

The anti-corruption watchdog today filed its reply in an accountability court pleading with the court to throw out the PML-N leader’s acquittal plea.

The NAB stated that Hamza Shehbaz served as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Ramazan Sugar Mills. A whopping Rs360 million worth of public funds were squandered on a drain meant to facilitate the mill, it added.

The mill had no sewerage system before the construction of the drain, the bureau said, claiming that now-Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, in his capacity as the Punjab chief minister, issued directives for the construction of the drain with the public funds.

The Ramazan Sugar Mills and Sharif Diary are the biggest beneficiaries of the drain, the NAB said, adding that there are concrete evidence to substantiate the charges against Hamza Shehbaz.

Last week, Hamza Shehbaz through his lawyer filed the acquittal plea on the basis of the recent amendments made to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law.

He stated that the corruption watchdog filed the reference against him for allegedly getting a drain built with the public funds to facilitate the Ramzan Sugar Mills. The NAB reference is ill-founded and based on mala fide intentions and political grounds, the PML-N leader alleged, adding the bureau instituted the reference at the instigation of the incumbent government.