Ramzan Sugar Mills case against PM Shehbaz, Hamza transferred to ACE

LAHORE: The Lahore Accountability Court on Thursday transferred the Ramzan Sugar Mill reference against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and former Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz to anti-corruption courts, ARY News reported.

The decision was announced by AC judge Zubair Shehzad Kayani. The accountability court transferred the case to Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) in light of the amendments.

During the proceedings today, the NAB prosecutor requested that the reference be transferred to the Anti-Corruption Court, and stated there was no objection to moving the NAB reference there.

The court also approved Hamza Shehbaz’s request for a one-day exemption from attendance.

On September 23, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) reopened the reference against PML-N president and former premier Shehbaz Sharif.

The anti-corruption watchdog sent back 116 corruption references against prominent personalities to the accountability courts in Lahore including Ramzan Sugar Mills case against Shehbaz Sharif.

On September 15, the Supreme Court of Pakistan struck down amendments made to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws as it announced its reserved verdict on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman’s plea.

It is pertinent to mention that The FIA had booked PM Shehbaz, Hamza, and Salman Shehbaz in November 2020 for financial fraud, impersonation, and forging of the Pakistan Penal Code and 5(2) and 5(3) – criminal misconduct — of Prevention of Corruption Act and r/w 3/4 of Anti Money Laundering Act.