Indictment of Shehbaz, Hamza in sugar mills reference delayed

Court adjourns hearing till July 1 on counsel’s request

 LAHORE: An accountability court on Thursday delayed the indictment of Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and his son, Hamza Shehbaz, in supplementary reference of Ramzan Sugar Mills case.

The court delayed the indictment due to non-appearance of Shehbaz as he tested positive for Covid-19.

Judge Amjad Nazir Chaudhry conducted the proceedings of the case, wherein jail authorities produced Hamza Shehbaz.

To a court query, Shehbaz’s counsel argued that his client had tested positive for Covid-19 and had quarantined himself, adding that his client’s test report had already been submitted in the court.

He pleaded the court to adjourn the matter for three weeks.

The court questioned whether the Covid-19 patient was quarantined for three weeks.



The counsel submitted that after the 14-day quarantine period, the patient would be tested again.

Subsequently, the court adjourned the hearing till July 1.

The court had summoned Shehbaz and Hamza for indictment in supplementary reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau in Ramzan Sugar Mills case.

Hamza and his father, former Punjab chief minister, were accused in the case.

As per the reference, NAB has accused Shehbaz of misuse of authority in the Ramzan Sugar Mills case. Shehbaz allegedly approved an amount of Rs210 million for the construction of a drain to benefit the mills.

Hamza has been charged in the case for being the chief executive of Ramzan Sugar Mills.