Court acquits PM Shehbaz Sharif, son Hamza in Ramzan Sugar Mills case

Court ruling removes charges against Shehbaz and Hamza

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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and former Punjab chief minister Hamza Shehbaz have been acquitted in the Ramzan Sugar Mills corruption case.

The case, which had been ongoing since 2017, stemmed from accusations that the Shehbaz family had facilitated the construction of a drainage system for Ramzan Sugar Mills in Chiniot, leading to a financial loss of Rs213 million to the national exchequer, Express News reported

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed a reference against the two political figures, accusing them of corruption over the construction of the drainage system in 2015.

During the proceedings, the Anti-Corruption Court's Judge, Sardar Muhammad Iqbal Dogar, stated that no grounds for conviction existed, and that no punishment was forthcoming for the accused.

Shehbaz Sharif was arrested in October 2018, while Hamza was taken into custody in June 2019. They were later granted bail by the Lahore High Court.

The legal proceedings included several key dates where charges were levied, dismissed, and refiled, with both individuals facing extensive periods of detention during the trial.

Lasr week, Ramzan Sugar Mills case took a dramatic turn as the complainant disassociated himself from the case, stating in court that he had no objection to the acquittal of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz Sharif.

Appearing before the anti-corruption court, complainant Zulfiqar Ali told Judge Sardar Muhammad Iqbal that he neither filed the complaint against the Sharifs nor was he aware of the application on which the case was initiated.

"I withdraw this application," he said. At this, the judge directed Ali to submit an affidavit confirming his stance.

Subsequently, Ali submitted the affidavit, reiterating that he had no involvement in the case. In his statement, he said that he was unaware of the complaint's content, had not signed any application and lacked any knowledge about the construction of the wastewater drain near Ramzan Sugar Mills, which lies at the heart of the case.

"I have no objection if Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz Sharif are acquitted," Ali stated in his affidavit.

The judge inquired if the complainant's statement had been recorded previously, to which Ali replied in the negative.