ISLAMABAD: An anti-corruption court on Thursday acquitted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shahbaz on charges of using public funds to benefit Ramzan Sugar Mills, built by the premier’s father in 1992 and part of the Sharif Group of Companies.
The case, filed by the National Accountability Bureau on Feb. 18, 2019, involved allegations Sharif had used public funds to build a sludge carrier in Chiniot district in Punjab province to benefit Ramzan Sugar Mills, owned by his sons. Sharif was the chief minister of Punjab province at the time. NAB had alleged the project inflicted a loss of Rs213 million to the national exchequer.
“An Anti-Corruption Court Lahore has acquitted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and former Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz in the Ramzan Sugar Mills case,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan said on Thursday. “The verdict was announced by Judge of Anti-Corruption Court Sardar Iqbal Dogar in Lahore.”
Sharif and son Hamza were indicted in the case in 2019. They had pleaded during hearings since that the sludge carrier was not constructed only to cater to the family’s mill but to benefit the area.
“The acquittal came after the NAB informed the court that it had found no evidence of financial corruption or misuse of authority by Shehbaz and stated and stated that the allegations of misuse of authority and corruption against the former prime minister were not substantiated under the National Accountability Ordinance of 1999,” Pakistan’s top news channel, Geo News, reported.
“The premier and former chief minister, in the 2018 reference, was accused of causing massive financial loss to the national kitty by awarding the contract to a construction firm without a competitive bidding process.”
In Nov. 2023, Sharif and 10 others were acquitted by an accountability court in the Lahore in the Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing Scheme reference.
Sharif, 73, is the younger brother of three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who spearheaded their Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party’s election campaign for the 2024 general election.
This is Sharif’s second term as prime minister. He first replaced cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan as prime minister after the latter’s ouster in a no-confidence vote in parliament in April 2022.
Sharif is best known for his direct, “can-do” administrative style, which was on display when, as chief minister of Punjab province, he worked closely with China on Beijing-funded projects after 2013. He also planned and executed a number of ambitious infrastructure mega-projects, including Pakistan’s first modern mass transport system in his hometown, the eastern city of Lahore.
Pakistani PM, son acquitted in long-running sugar mills corruption case
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Pakistani PM, son acquitted in long-running sugar mills corruption case
- Case involved allegations of the misuse of authority by Shehbaz Sharif when he was chief minister of Punjab provinces
- Anti-graft authority had charged Sharif with using public funds to built a sludge carrier that would benefit a family-owned mill
Pakistan Airports Authority reports ‘historic’ twin-engine aircraft landing in Lahore
- Twin-engine aircraft are usually larger, heavier and require better airport infrastructure, navigation systems to land
- Pakistan Airports Authority says landing reflects its commitment to enhance aviation sector, strengthen infrastructure
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) announced on Saturday that the New General Aviation Aerodrome achieved a significant milestone when it handled the landing of a twin-engine aircraft.
A twin-engine aircraft has two engines that provide it redundancy and increased performance compared to single-engine counterparts. These aircraft range from small twin-engine propeller planes to large commercial jetliners. The presence of multiple engines enhances safety by allowing the aircraft to continue flying in the event of an engine failure.
However, twin-engine aircraft are usually larger, heavier and more complex than single-engine planes. They require advanced airport infrastructure such as better runways, navigation systems and air traffic coordination.
“The New General Aviation Aerodrome, Lahore achieved another significant operational milestone today with the successful landing of a twin-engine aircraft, following the recent arrival of a single-engine aircraft,” the PAA said in a statement.
It said the flight was also boarded by Air Vice Marshal Zeeshan Saeed, the director general of the PAA. The move reflected “strong institutional confidence” in the aerodrome’s safety standards, operational capability, and overall readiness, it added.
“The landing was conducted with exceptional precision and professionalism, demonstrating the aerodrome’s robust operational framework, technical preparedness, and effective airside coordination in accordance with contemporary aviation requirements,” the PAA said.
It said the landing represented a “major advancement” in Pakistan’s general aviation sector and underscores the PAA’s commitment to enhancing regional aviation capacity, strengthening infrastructure and promoting excellence in aviation development.
