Islamabad [Pakistan], September 18 (ANI): A Pakistan court has sent graft cases to the National Accountability Bureau, but those cases which involve leaders of the ruling coalition have been virtually closed and among these cases is the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Ramzan Sugar Mills graft case.
The cases against PM Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz (Ramzan Sugar Mills) and former premiers Yousaf Raza Gilani (USF) and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf (rental power projects) have also been returned to the NAB.
It is pertinent to mention that almost all the references were against those who were linked with the incumbent coalition government led by PM Sharif, Dawn reported citing a source. NAB claims to go ‘by the book’ after courts return references citing jurisdiction under recently amended laws.
According to the source, the new NAB Chief, who was appointed by PM Sharif and his handpicked opposition leader in National Assembly Raja Riaz, will never send the corruption cases to other forums like the anti-corruption establishment. Talking about the cases, NAB spokesperson Nadeem Khan said: “All such cases will be decided as per law.”
Earlier, the former NAB Punjab director Farooq Hameed had said that it would have been better for the government to shut the bureau instead of introducing such sweeping legislation to defang it, reported Dawn. PM Shehbaz and Punjab CM Hamza Shehbaz were indicted in the Ramzan Sugar Mills case in 2020, reported Geo News.
In its reference, the NAB had alleged that Shehbaz, then the chief minister of Punjab, had issued a directive for the construction of a drain in Chiniot district, mainly for the use of Ramzan Sugar Mills, which is owned by his sons. It said Rs 200 million was spent on the drain of the public money.
Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in December 2021 submitted the challan against Shehbaz and Hamza before the special court for their alleged involvement in laundering an amount of Rs 16 billion in the sugar scam case, according to Geo News. The FIA report added that the amount was kept in “hidden accounts” and given to Shehbaz in a personal capacity.
The FIA booked them in the case under sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, the Prevention of Corruption Act, and the Anti-Money Laundering Act in November 2020. (ANI)
