RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza Shahbaz accused President Asif Ali Zardari of targeting him and his family by re-opening graft cases, Express News reported on Thursday.
Speaking to a press conference after receiving summons for himself and his father Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Hamza said he will decide about appearing before the court after consulting his lawyers and party leaders.
Accountability court judge Abdul Haq has issued notices to the Punjab CM and his son in the Hudaibia Paper Mills case. The court has asked Hamza to appear before the court on July 28.
Hamza said that no corruption charges were proved against him during Pervez Musharraf's government and Zardari would also fail to do so.
On May 17, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had formally announced that inquiries against Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz would be reopened in accordance with Zardari’s orders for scrutinising all politicians.
The references against the Sharif family pertains to the Hudaibia Paper Mills, Ittefaq Foundry and assets beyond means.
The accused in the Hudaibia case – Nawaz, Shahbaz, Abbas Sharif, Hussain Nawaz, Hamza, Haroon Pasha and Senator Ishaq Dar – are accused of securing a huge loans in the mills’ name and using the amount for other than stated purpose.
In the Ittefaq case, Nawaz and Abbas along with Mukhtar Hassan, Kamal Qureshi and two others, are accused of abusing hefty loans.
In the third reference, the Sharif family is accused of accumulating assets beyond their declared means of income by allegedly misusing their authority.
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@asim: Convicted and criminals are sitting in the assemblies neither because of SC nor its their job to check. Its the people who elected them despite knowing their worth. Its the beauty of the Pakistani democracy that thugs and swindlers are preferred over the gentlemen.
Sharif and his extended family have accumulated more wealth than any other political dynasty in the history of Pakistan. The ease with which they had surrendered to Gen Mush and agreed to leave Pakistan has no parallel in Pakistani or S. Asian history. Innocent people do not sign am amnesty and apology agreement as plea-bargain. While there are all kinds of corruption and financial improprieties but mostly they are not as blatant as borrowing billions and siphoning them off to have businesses and property in safe places. There are no doubts about the loans and not paying them while having a rich lifestyle. Sharifs have gotten away by attacking SC and hefty loans, why? When they are questioned it is victimization while the others must be tried and punished. Be that as it may I doubt that LHC would let their favorite sons to be put in jail. Sharif and Arsalan have immunity against biggest financial scams but the elected President does not.
@YP Toronto: Well thought decision really like a true leader. Bow to the law but still defend himself.
@Jibran: Can you please check the history of any business houses, business families of pakistan, there are many but they are not as prominent in politics as Sharif family, you will not be surprise to see how much they flourished, why? very simple, huge untapped market, very less competition, some time total monopoly, and of course their business sense to be the first in our market, they turned this opportunity into profit, like any businessman do in the world. of course when they flourished, Pakistan flourished. Love you all.
@Mirza: Dear innocent don't escape but innocent people get hanged like zulfiqar Bhutto, and with their death, they put all the nation in trouble although you can not blame them of their death. Imagen if Altaf Hussain and nawaz sharif had not escaped the death and the same had happened to them like happened to Bhutto,, where our nation shall be today? Could he had survived to live today. Both of them made wise decision, learned from history by not only saving their life but avoiding disaster to the national. This called experience and leadership wisdom, ignoring ego, personal dilemma and make right decisions. I salute them of their courage. True leaders. Love you all.
Sharif and his extended family has accumulated more wealth than any other political dynasty in the history of Pakistan. The ease with which they had surrendered to Gen Mush and agreed to leave Pakistan has no parallel in Pakistani or S. Asian history. Innocent people do not sign am amnesty and apology agreement as plea-bargain. While there are all kinds of corruption and financial improprieties but mostly they are not as blatant as borrowing billions and siphoning them off to have businesses and property in safe places. There are no doubts about the loans and not paying them while having a rich lifestyle. Sharifs have gotten away by attacking SC and hefty loans, why? When they are questioned it is victimization while the others must be tried and punished. Be that as it may I doubt that LHC would let their favorite sons to be put in jail. Sharif and Arsalan have immunity against biggest financial scams but the elected President does not.
Its a good time to also check the loans granted and gifted to Mr. Gillani's wife and family. All politicians should be held accountable on mr. Pre-sidents orders ..... I appreciate that this is a good first step taken by the most corrupt person in pakistan but unfortunately the intention is malified, as this is just a warning to sharifs to bring them in line with the PPP agenda .....
What a jok order from zerdari Bhutto, what ever his correct name is, can he cover / divert his Swiss deposits and other assets under this attempt? He wants clean to be washed again and leave the dirty as it is, now we know how to get disrespected even when you are on the top job.
@asim: are you kidding? SC is only to take care of PPP
"Speaking to a press conference after receiving summons for himself and his father Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Hamza said he will decide about appearing before the court after consulting his lawyers and party leaders."
PML N expect others to abide by courts orders and rulings, why not Sharifs.
It is time to bring Pakistani Charles Sobhraj under the thumb of the law. He and his family has long defied the law to amass wealth beyond means using kickbacks in national projects. He and his associates then laundered the money out of the country to build a multi-billion dollar business empire. Now his crown prince is blaming the course of law.
SC has failed to check the elite class. How come convicted and criminals are stitting in assemblies? This is absolute failure of judicial system
are you Unaccountable ....????