LAHORE: An accountability court Wednesday extended the judicial remand of Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Hamza Shahbaz till October 30 in Ramzan Sugar Mills and alleged money-laundering cases.
The police produced Hamza in the court amid tight security as heavy contingents of law-enforcement force had cordoned off the court premises.
As the hearing commenced, the judge asked NAB’s prosecutor what’s the delay in submitting reference. To which the prosecutor replied that the Bureau is working on it and it will be submitted as the investigation gets completed. The court after hearing the NAB’s stance extended judicial remand of Hamza till October 30.
On the other hand, former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif didn’t appear before the court as the court had granted him exemption from appearance.
While talking to media, Hamza said God willing they will participate in the Azadi March. He said slogan of change has become a curse for the masses. People were suffering as they have been deprived of bread and facing three-time higher prices of medicines, he added.
In July, an accountability court had refused to grant further physical custody of Hamza Shahbaz to the NAB and had sent him to jail on judicial remand. According to Ramzan Sugar Mills reference, the NAB has blamed Hamza for his alleged role being the chief executive of the sugar mills to get constructed a drain facilitating his mill out of the public money in Chiniot. The then chief minister Shahbaz Sharif allegedly approved an amount of Rs210 million for construction of the drain.
