Ashiana, Ramzan mills cases

Court orders producing Hamza on next hearing

By Our correspondent

LAHORE: An accountability court on Thursday adjourned the hearing of Ramzan sugar mills and Ashiana housing scheme corruption cases with an order to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to produce Hamza Shahbaz, the son of Shahbaz Sharif, in the court on the next date of hearing.

The court marked attendance of Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif in both cases.

The opposition leader in National Assembly had skipped previous hearings of both cases due to his London visit for medical reasons. However, he appeared in the court on Thursday.

As the hearing commenced, the court asked NAB prosecutor about absence of Hamza Shahbaz, the opposition leader in Punjab Assembly. The prosecutor replied that he was on physical remand currently. The court directed the NAB authorities for ensuring the presence of Hamza Shahbaz on the next date of hearing.

Meanwhile, Shahbaz Sharif, while addressing the court, stated that he did not commit any corruption and he was being tried in fake cases. He said he was abroad for medical treatment and came back to face the charges. He claimed that he saved billions of rupees of the public exchequer, but he was being ‘rewarded’ with cases against him.