LAHORE: An accountability court on Saturday issued show- cause notices to the inspector general of prisons, capital city police officer of Lahore and SP headquarters as Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz was not brought to the court to attend proceedings against him in Ramzan Sugar Mills reference.

At the outset of the hearing, Presiding Judge Amjad Nazir Chaudhry asked the jail officials whether Hamza was present in the court.

Kot Lakhpat jail’s deputy superintendent said the suspect refused to travel in an Armoured Personnel Vehicle (APC) from the jail to the court.

“So the under-trial prisoners would now appear before courts with their will and travel in vehicles of their choice,” the judge asked the official.

“Whether all other prisoners are also brought to the courts in vehicles of their choice,” the judge further asked the official and observed that it was the responsibility of the jail’s officials to produce the suspect before the court.

Judge Chaudhry remarked that the state appeared to be defeated by a suspect. He directed the jail officials to submit their written reports on the issue, which were later filed by them. He reserved his decision on the reports and issued show- cause notices of contempt proceedings to the prisons’ IG, CCPO and SP headquarters directing them to appear in person on Nov 10 along with their written explanations.

The judge also directed the NAB to present the prosecution witnesses on the next hearing.

In its reference, the NAB alleged that Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif being chief minister of Punjab had issued a directive for construction of a drain in district Chiniot primarily for the use of Ramzan Sugar Mills owned by his sons Hamza and Suleman. It said Rs200 million was spent for this purpose from public money.

Mr Shehbaz has been given exemption from personal appearance in this case by the court, however, he is on judicial remand in the money -laundering reference.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2020