Assets beyond income: Hamza Shehbaz appears before NAB
LAHORE (92 News) – Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz on Friday appeared before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in assets beyond known source of income.
A day earlier, the corruption watchdog summoned Hamza Shehbaz in assets beyond known sources of income. The NAB also issued a notice to Hamza Shehbazon his residence in city’s Model Town. It was reported that PML-N leader would be grilled on transactions into bank account from different suspicious accounts. NAB had acquired ‘important evidence’ from Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU) in the case of Hamza Shehbaz. It is learnt that the accountability watchdog had also got evidence against Salman Shehbaz, son of former chief minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif.
The Lahore High Court (LHC) had earlier on April 8 granted interim bail to Hamza Shehbaz. A two-judge bench headed by Justice Malik Shehzad Ahmed Khan approved the bail of the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) leader against a surety of Rs10 million until April 17, restraining the National Accountability Bureau from arresting him till further orders. The court directed the corruption watchdog to submit its response to the petition until the next hearing. It is pertinent to mention here that PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday submitted a detailed reply to a questionnaire handed to him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in a case pertaining to amassing assets beyond known source of income.
Hamza Shehbaz granted interim bail in two cases till April 17
Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmed also ordered him to furnish two surety bonds worth Rs 10 million each.
During the hearing, the judge expressed anger over presence of irrelevant lawyers in court and remarked that he had warned that court etiquettes should be followed. “Political workers take selfies in court and how will look into the matter. Hamza Shehbaz assured the court that he would be cautious in future. His counsel stated that his client fears arrest despite the Ramazan Sugar Mills reference had been filed. “The NAB also wants to arrest Hamza Shehbaz unjustifiable in the Saaf Panic case,” he said. He requested the court to grant Hamza Shehbaz bail in both cases. Stringent security arrangements had been made on the arrival of Hamza Shahbaz.
Shehbaz Sharif, Hamza indicted in Ramzan Sugar Mills case
Earlier on Tuesday, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz were indicted in Ramzan Sugar Mills case. The father-son duo appeared before an accountability court in Lahore earlier today, where they were indicted in the Ramzan Sugar Mills corruption reference. Accountability Court judge Najam ul Hassan heard the case. During the hearing, the accused denied all the charges.
The NAB had filed a reference against the two alleging that the former chief minister Shehbaz Sharif misused his authority by using public funds for the construction of a bridge to facilitate the Ramzan mills, owned by his sons.
LHC extends interim bail of Hamza Shehbaz till April 17
On April 8, the Lahore High Court (LHC) had extended the interim bail of PML-N leader Hamza Shehbaz till April 17. The court also issued notices to the NAB. It also sought a report and para-wise report from Hamza Shehbaz. The court ordered Hamza Shehbaz to furnish surety bonds worth Rs10million.