Assets case: PML-N’s Hamza Shehbaz summoned by NAB today

F.P. Report

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore has summoned Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz today in connection with a probe into his alleged assets beyond known source of income.

According to reports, Opposition leader in Punjab assembly has been directed to appear before a NAB team at NAB’s Lahore office.

Earlier, on April 17, the NAB prosecutor had submitted the bureau’s reply in corruption cases of Ramzan Sugar Mills, Saaf Pani scam and money laundering faced by Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz.

According to NAB, Hamza chaired Saaf Pani Company meetings without having any authority. It transpired during probe that Hamza Shehbaz influenced contracts issued by the company, NAB said.

It further said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader exceeded his authority in the Ramzan Sugar Mills, and ordered construction of a drain for financial gains. The NAB told the court Rs180 million were transferred to the account of Shehbaz between 2005 and 2008, and subsequently the amount was transferred abroad.

During the investigation, the PML-N leader also failed to give a satisfactory answer to transaction of Rs180m made into his account, the NAB stated.

The prosecutor said Hamza Shehbaz was also a shareholder in Ramzan Energy Limited.

The NAB said assets of children of Shehbaz Sharif was Rs50m in 1999, while Hamza Shehbaz showed Rs22m assets in his declaration in 2001.

Hamza Shehbaz had earlier appeared before the anti-graft watchdog on April 16 and denied to have received kickbacks through some agents from 2005 to 2018 as revealed during the investigation.