ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday hearing the bail plea of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza Shehbaz Sharif, directed the accountability court (AC) of Lahore to furnish details of pending cases before it. A three-judge bench, headed by Justice Mushir Alam heard the Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz.
The bench directed NAB to submit a report about the completion of Hamza’s trial.
When the counsel of Hamza wanted to say something on the merit of the case, Justice Mushir remarked not to discuss the merits of the case as the facts about the case are shameful.
The NAB special prosecutor general briefed the court about the pending cases before ACs, Lahore.
He said in two accountability courts of Lahore, there are 46 cases pending; adding Hamza Shahbaz’s case is at number 44. Justice Yahya Afridi said the Supreme Court had already ordered that corruption cases be conducted on a daily basis. He inquired from the prosecutor general when Hamza’s trial would commence. The prosecutor informed that the government has decided to set up 30 more courts, adding that the burden on the existing ACs would lessen. Advocate Nazir Tarar, counsel for Hamza, argued that his client is behind the bars for the last one year and seven months.
He said the case trial was held twice in a week.
Justice Yahya remarked it was not appropriate to keep the accused in jail till the completion of the trial. He said hearing new cases were not right.
“If the accused is not appearing before the court, the accused bail could be canceled,” he added.
When the lawyer prayed to grant bail to Hamza, Justice Mushir Alam told him let the report come so that they could know when the trial would be completed.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, Hamza Shehbaz, was arrested in Ramzan Sugar Mills scam.
He is behind bars for the last 18 months.
Hamza’s counsel pleaded that the NAB had filed a reference against him, which comprises voluminous record and proposed 110 prosecution witnesses (PWs) out of which only three PWs had recorded their statements.
The case was adjourned for two weeks.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021