LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Lahore, has decided to file a reference against Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz in the Ramzan Sugar Mills case.

“NAB has decided to file a reference against Hamza Shahbaz for his alleged role being chief executive of the Ramzan Sugar Mills to get constructed a bridge facilitating his mills out of the public money in Chiniot,” a senior official told Dawn on Tuesday.

An amount of Rs200 million was approved by then chief minister and Hamza’s father Shahbaz Sharif for the construction of the bridge.

He said the reference was likely to be filed by the end of this month.

The National Accountability Bureau has already announced filing a reference against Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif in the Ramzan Sugar Mills case.

According to the NAB, Shahbaz Sharif, being chief minister of Punjab, had issued a directive for the construction of a drain in Chiniot district primarily to benefit the sugar mills owned by his sons.

The PML-N president misused his authority as Punjab chief minister to benefit factories owned by his sons, it said.

Hamza’s brother Salman Shahbaz is also facing similar charges being director of the mills but the bureau has not yet decided whether to include his name in the reference or not.

Salman Shahbaz is in the United Kingdom.

According to NAB, Salman left the country to skip its hearings.

Hamza was stopped from leaving the country at Lahore airport last month as his name was on the exit control list (ECL).

Hamza is also facing an inquiry in income beyond means case.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2019