LAHORE: A district and sessions court in Lahore Monday extended until August 16 the interim bail of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President and National Assembly Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz in sugar scandal and money-laundering case.
During the hearing, presided over by Additional District And Sessions Judge Hamid Hussain, Sharif, through his counsel, requested the court to adjourn the hearing as he had to travel to Islamabad to attend the National Assembly session.
The father-son were not present when the court started the hearing.
A Federal Investigation Agency director called the attention of the court towards the absence of the two, requesting the case be dismissed in the absence of the petitioners.
The court ordered the counsel for Sharif to ask the duo to reach the court in 30 minutes, otherwise, their bails would be dismissed.
At this, Sharif arrived at the court. His counsel requested the court to adjourn the hearing for the aforementioned reason. He further said Shehbaz, too, was busy due to a session of the Punjab Assembly.
Accepting the request, the court adjourned the hearing in the case.
The court also asked the agency to submit an inquiry report of the case to the court during the next hearing.
The NAB alleged that Shahbaz, being the chief minister of Punjab, had issued a directive for construction of a drain in district Chiniot primarily for the use of the sugar mills owned by his sons. It said Rs200 million was spent for this purpose from public money.
