Lahore, February 6, 2025: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and former Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz have been acquitted in the Ramzan Sugar Mills corruption case after years of legal proceedings.
The case, initiated in 2017, accused the Shehbaz family of facilitating the construction of a drainage system for Ramzan Sugar Mills in Chiniot, allegedly causing a financial loss of Rs213 million to the national exchequer. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed a reference against the two political figures, citing corruption in the project’s execution in 2015.
During the hearing, Anti-Corruption Court Judge Sardar Muhammad Iqbal Dogar ruled that no substantial grounds for conviction existed, leading to the acquittal of both accused.
Shehbaz Sharif was arrested in October 2018, while Hamza Shehbaz was taken into custody in June 2019. Both were later granted bail by the Lahore High Court. The case saw multiple developments over the years, with charges being levied, dismissed, and refiled, resulting in prolonged legal battles and detention periods for the accused.
A major turning point occurred last week when the complainant, Zulfiqar Ali, disassociated himself from the case. Appearing before the anti-corruption court, Ali stated that he neither filed the complaint against the Sharifs nor was aware of the application that led to the case.
“I withdraw this application,” Ali told the court. The judge then directed him to submit an affidavit confirming his stance. In his affidavit, Ali reiterated that he had no involvement in the case, was unaware of the complaint’s content, had not signed any application, and had no knowledge regarding the construction of the wastewater drain at the center of the controversy.
“I have no objection if Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz are acquitted,” Ali stated in his affidavit.
The judge further inquired whether Ali’s statement had been recorded earlier, to which he responded in the negative.
With the complainant’s withdrawal and lack of concrete evidence, the court ruled in favor of acquittal, marking the conclusion of a long-running legal battle.
