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- Both PML-N leaders — Shahbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz —appear in the banking court today.
- Court extends their bail in Ramzan Sugar Mill case till September 25.
- Judge directs Hamza Shahbaz to cooperate during the investigation.
LAHORE/RAWALPINDI: A local court in Lahore on Saturday, after expressing its displeasure over progress in the matter, extended the bails of Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif and his son, Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz, in case pertaining to alleged money laundering.
Both the PML-N leaders appeared today for the hearing, held at a banking court.
During the hearing, the apex judge, while reviewing the file of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), inquired why there was no update on the investigation, no diary written after July 2, and why the file wasn’t updated. The judge asked: “When only four lines will be added during a period of two months, how will the inquiry be completed?”
The judge directed the officials of FIA, present at the hearing, to ask Dr Rizwan, the head of the investigation team, to appear in person at the next hearing to update the court regarding the developments in the investigation.
Meanwhile, Shahbaz Sharif came to the stand and said that this case “is a copy” of the National Accountability Bureau cases against him. He said he has “nothing to do with Ramzan Sugar Mills”, adding that he is neither a director there nor does he withdraw a salary.
At this, the judge said that if he thinks the NAB and FIA cases are the same, then he should appeal in the higher court.
Shahbaz, in response, said he is planning to file an appeal.
Hamza Shahbaz told the court that the FIA team had visited him in jail for an inquiry. He said the FIA wants to arrest him now after his release. “Why didn’t they arrest me before? he asked.
The judge directed Hamza to cooperate in the investigation.
The court extended the bail of Shahbaz and Hamza till September 25.
It may be recalled that the FIA has accused Shahbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz of money laundering via the Ramzan Sugar Mills worth Rs25 billion.
PML-N reacts
Speaking to the media, PML-N leader Ataullah Tarar said that Shahbaz has already served seven months, while Hamza has served two years in prison due to this case.
“Why are NAB and FIA not concerned about the billion dollar cases of government officials?” he asked.
Tarar said that he is “ready to provide proof” against Prime Minister Imran Khan.
PML-N Punjab spokesperson Uzma Bukhari said that this is all being done because the PDM has announced rallies across Pakistan and so the government plans to arrest Opposition leaders.
She said that the interior minister and information minister “constantly threaten to throw the Opposition in jail”.
‘Shahbaz denying involvement like in Panama the father and sons blamed each other’
During a press conference held in Rawalpindi to respond to the PML-N, Punjab government spokesperson Fayyazul Hassan Chohan said that PML-N criticises the government to hide the corruption of its leaders.
“People are being misguided by the report of the auditor general,” Chohan said, adding that “the looting association is misleading people on auditor general’s report.”
He added that the audit report is released by the government every year and the performance of each and every department is mentioned in the report.
Recalling the Panama case, Chohan said: “Today Shahbaz said that he has nothing to do with sugar mills. In the Panama case, Nawaz Sharif’s sons blamed their father and the father blamed his sons. The whole was witness to that.”
He claimed that “all these corruption cases in NAB and FIA will reach their logical conclusion in next one and half year”.
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