PML-N President and former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that the day Nawaz Sharif was sentenced was the darkest day, while there was a horrific attempt to overthrow the army leadership on May 9.
Shehbaz Sharif made these remarks while speaking to the media after appearing before the accountability court in Lahore in the Ramzan Sugar Mills case of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). He said that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif will appear in the Islamabad High Court today for justice.
“We have always respected the court and consider it our duty to appear before the court for justice,” he added.
The PML-N president said that the Sharif family and the party leaders suffered difficulties and hardships. Nawaz Sharif was handcuffed in front of his daughter, but he presented himself before the law. In 2017, Nawaz’s government was overthrown, which halted the country’s progress.
The former prime minister said that no one knew that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf would become a “tehreek-e-tabahi”. The events of May 9 were anti-national, he said, adding that on that day, a conspiracy, and treason were committed against the country.
“On that day, an attempt was made to overthrow the army leadership,” he remarked.
Shehaz said that elections should be held on time at all costs. He further said that Bani Gala was built illegally, yet the houses of the poor are demolished, and the luxurious palaces declared permissible. Former chief justice Saqib Nisar gave permission to Bani Gala, was that level-playing field, he asked.
He further commented that he was appearing in court in Lahore and Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad, adding that this was a level-playing field.
Earlier, the accountability court in Lahore adjourned the Ramzan Sugar Mills reference against Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz till December 12.
The hearing
Shehbaz said in court that this case had been going on for years. “I was initially summoned in the Saaf Pani case, but arrested in the Aashiana Iqbal case. when I got relief, I was arrested in the nullah construction case on charges of constructing a drain outside my son’s sugar mills,” he said.
He further claimed that the nullah had been built by an MPA, adding that the sugar mills belonged to our family, which he transferred to his son.
Shehbaz further told the court that during his stint as the Punjab ruler, subsidies on sugar were not given, adding that he favoured the farmers. “The sugar mills owners went to court also but were disappointed,” he remarked.
He said that during his rule, the price of sugarcane was increased for farmers, adding that he did not let anyone grab the money of the poor.
The chief secretary wrote that there is surplus sugar, and suggested exporting it, Shehbaz told the court, adding that the federal government allowed sugar mills to export. “I refused to give money to sugar mills from the Punjab treasury. I also imposed excise duty on ethanol, but the high court issued a stay order.”
He then said the PTI government abolished the ethanol excise duty. “I am a guilty person; I have not taken any TA/DA till today,” Shehbaz stated, adding that he spent his own money on foreign tickets and hotels.
Hamza Shehbaz did not appear in court and submitted an application for one-day exemption from appearance. Judge Malik Ali Zulqernain Awan adjourned the hearing till December 12.
