Order issued over PM exemption from Ramzan Sugar Mills hearing

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Saturday issued its written order about approving a plea of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for permanent exemption from attending the Ramzan Sugar Mills case hearing, ARY News reported.

The court has issued a three-page written order about granting exemption to the prime minister.

Accountability Judge Asad Ali Awan had announced exemption decision, in a previous hearing.

“Shehbaz Sharif is regularly appearing in the court hearing since 2021. He has now became the Prime Minister of Pakistan and to perform constitutional responsibilities of the office,” according to the court order.

“It is difficult for him to attend every hearing of the case and his absence will not create an obstacle in the trial,” the court order read.

“In view of the facts and circumstances his plea for permanent exemption from the case hearing is being granted. He will be bound to appear before the court, if his presence will be required to the court.”

The court also nominated Muhammad Nawaz Advocate as representative of Shehbaz Sharif for his attendance.

The National Accountability Bureau had opposed the permanent exemption plea of the sitting prime minister.

Shehbaz Sharif in his application argued that he could not appear before the court as the Prime Minister of Pakistan. He had sought the court’s instructions for nominating pleaders in the case.

The court had also summoned lawyers in the next hearing for arguments over acquittal petitions of the accused.

In the plea filed through his lawyer, he had stated that he saved billions of rupees of the public in government schemes. He said he was neither a shareholder nor the director of the sugar mill as he had already transferred his properties to his children.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has failed to prove corruption charges against him, he claimed, requesting the court to acquit him in the case.