LAHORE: A duty judge for a special court (offences in bank) on Saturday expressed his dismay over the progress of investigation in Ramzan Sugar mills and money laundering cases against Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and leader of opposition in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz and sought progress report from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) by September 25.

The court also extended the bails of Shahbaz and Hamza and directed the in-charge of the investigating team to appear before the court in person with the report on next hearing.

Earlier, the court asked the counsel of FIA as to how many times they called the accused for investigation. The counsel said they were called once on June 30 last. The court said how the investigation would complete if investigation officer writes four lines in two months. The court said verbal investigation does not matter in the course of law and sought progress of the investigation till next date of hearing.

Shahbaz Sharif also told the court that similar sort of reference is pending against him before the NAB court. The court said if the case is similar as the reference then he could challenge the same before a court of law. Shahbaz said he would challenge it after consulting his legal team.

Shahbaz also said that neither he was director nor shareholder in Ramzan Sugar Mills. So this case could not be made against him. Hamza Shahbaz also informed the court that he was interrogated in the jail also and he had replied all the queries of the investigating officer.

Shehbaz and his sons Hamza and Suleman were booked by the FIA in November 2020 under financial fraud, impersonation, forgery, criminal misconduct, corruption and money laundering. Suleman Shehbaz another son of Shahbaz Sharif is absconding in the UK.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021