LAHORE: An accountability court on Wednesday recorded statements of two more prosecution witnesses in the reference of Punjab Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme against PM Shehbaz Sharif and others.

The lawyers of Shehbaz filed an application for one-time exemption from personal appearance saying the prime minister was in Karachi on an official tour.

The court allowed the application and directed the prosecution to produce more witnesses on April 28.

Other accused in the reference include former head of the Lahore Development Authority Ahad Khan Cheema and former principal secretary to prime minister Fawad Hassan Fawad.

The NAB alleged Shehbaz and other suspects caused a huge loss to the national exchequer by awarding the contract of the housing scheme to a company without bidding.

SUGAR MILLS: An accountability court adjourned the hearings of the Ramzan Sugar Mills and money laundering references against PM Shehbaz and his son Hamza.

The court allowed the one-time exemption to Shehbaz as he did not appear on account of his official tour to Karachi. However, Hamza appeared before the court along with his counsel.

The court adjourned hearing till April 28.

In this reference, the NAB accused Shehbaz of issuing a directive, being chief minister, for the construction of a drain to benefit Ramzan Sugar Mills owned by his sons – Hamza and Suleman. It said Rs200m were spent on the scheme from the public money.

In the reference of money laundering, the NAB alleged the family members and benamidars of Shehbaz received fake foreign remittances of billions in their personal bank accounts.

In addition to these remittances, billions of rupees were laundered by way of foreign pay orders, which were deposited with personal bank accounts of his sons Hamza and Suleman.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2022