An accountability court on Friday sought a reply from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on an application of Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif seeking his acquittal in Ramzan Sugar Mills reference.

Shehbaz did not appear before the court and sought a one-time exemption from appearance for health issues. His counsel filed a written application along with a medical report. The court allowed the application.

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Shehbaz’s son Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz attended the proceedings in the references of the sugar mills and the money laundering.

The defence counsel cross examined Assistant Registrar of SECP Kashif Islam as a prosecution witness.

Responding to the queries of defence, the witness said the record showed that Shehbaz received no monetary benefit from the companies in question. He said all the companies had been established lawfully. The witness also conceded that no proceedings were ever initiated against the companies.

Another witness, Tahir Saifuddin, who presented a record of one company, said Shehbaz and Hamza had never been the directors of the company.

The court adjourned the hearing till March 11 and directed the NAB to produce more witnesses for their cross-examination.

The court also sought the NAB’s reply on the acquittal application of Shehbaz by March 11.

The acquittal plea contended that the proceedings against the petitioner by the NAB were prompted with mala fide intention. It said the proceedings were politically motivated at the behest of the present government for settling the political score.

It said the construction of the Sullage Carrier (drain) was a public welfare project on the move by the concerned MPA and not for the benefit of the Ramzan Sugar Mills.

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It argued that the allegation that the sugar mill was the only beneficiary of the drain was belied by the record produced by the prosecution itself.

The petition said there was no probability of conviction on the basis of the evidence. Therefore, it asked the court to acquit the petitioner of the charge.

In this reference, the NAB accused Shehbaz of issuing a directive, being chief minister, for the construction of the drain to benefit Ramzan Sugar Mills owned by his sons –Hamza and Suleman. It said Rs200 million was spent for this purpose from the public money.