Ramzan Sugar Mills case: Hearing against Shahbaz, Hamza put off till 17th

LAHORE: An accountability court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of the Ramzan Sugar Mills case against PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shahbaz till November 17.

Jail authorities produced Hamza before the court. Hamza had refused to come to the court in an armoured vehicle on the last hearing due to which the court had summoned the said state functionaries. The judge questioned why the under-trial prisoner was not produced before the court on the last hearing.

The jail superintendent said jail officials had handed over the accused to the police. The SP Headquarters responded that the accused himself is responsible for not appearing before the court. Hamza said the police officials "deliberately" brought an armoured vehicle to transport him to the court despite knowing that he has backache. "They made me wait for two and a half hours," he said.

The court directed authorities to create SOPs for the transportation of prisoners and differentiation among different classes of prisoners, and summoned again the officers at the next hearing on November 17.