Process begins to return Ramzan Sugar Mills reference against Shehbaz, Hamza to NAB

Amendments, reinstated by Supreme Court, restrict NAB’s powers to investigate cases involving sums below Rs500 million

ISLAMABAD:

The process to return the Ramzan Sugar Mills reference against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son, Hamza Shehbaz, to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has commenced, Express News reported.

An accountability court in Lahore, hearing the case, confirmed that the applications for the transfer of the reference back to NAB have been filed.

The hearing, overseen by Duty Judge Zubair Shehzad Kayani, was adjourned until October 1, when the court will review the requests.

According to Shehbaz and Hamza’s legal team, the reference is now "inadmissible" following a Supreme Court decision on NAB amendments. "After the recent verdict, the accountability court no longer has jurisdiction over this case," their lawyers argued, citing the restored amendments that limit the scope of NAB prosecutions.

The amendments, reinstated by the Supreme Court, restrict NAB’s powers to investigate cases involving sums below Rs500 million and curb its authority in certain tax-related and regulatory matters. The lawyers contended that under the revised law, the case falls outside the accountability court's mandate.

Hamza Shehbaz, who was granted a one-day exemption from appearance due to back pain, had a medical certificate presented on his behalf. His lawyers explained, "Hamza cannot appear due to his medical condition, and doctors have advised bed rest." The court accepted his plea. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has already been granted permanent exemption from attending hearings, was represented by his pleader, Anwar Hussain.

The reference, initially filed by NAB in February 2019, accuses Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz of misusing public funds to construct a 10-kilometre sludge carrier to benefit Ramzan Sugar Mills, which is owned by the Sharif family. The anti-corruption body alleges that the project caused a loss of Rs213 million to the national treasury.

However, Shehbaz Sharif has maintained that the drain was built for the wider community at the request of a local MPA, dismissing the case as politically motivated. "The NAB reference was filed to target us for political reasons," his legal team reiterated.

This development comes after the Supreme Court's decision to reinstate the NAB amendments, which had been struck down earlier. The verdict has significant implications for several high-profile cases, including this one, as it redefines the jurisdiction of the anti-corruption watchdog.

The court will further deliberate on the matter in its next hearing on October 1.