In Lahore, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has reopened the RamzanSugar Mills case against PML-N president and former Prime Minister ShehbazSharif, as well as other corruption references.
This move follows the anti-corruption watchdog’s decision to return 116corruption references, including the Paragon case against the Khawajabrothers, to accountability courts in Lahore.
Additionally, records related to the Chiniot Mines case and PunjabUniversity corruption case were submitted to the courts. Other reopenedcases encompass a range of issues, such as corruption within the Gujratpolice, irregularities in the Punjab Youth Festival, and a corruption caseinvolving Yousuf Ahad, the son of former PML-N leader Ahmed Malik, alongwith references related to housing societies, the stock market, fraud, andmisuse of power by government officers.
Furthermore, it has been reported that the NAB is likely to reopen casesagainst PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharifin light of a Supreme Court verdict. These cases include the Ramzan sugarmill case against Shehbaz Sharif and the plot allotment case against NawazSharif.
The NAB is also expected to revisit cases involving other prominentpolitical figures and bureaucracy, including Rana Mashhood, former VCPunjab University Mujahid Kamran, former federal minister Khawaja SaadRafiq and Salman Rafiq in the Paragon Housing Society case, and the misuseof powers case against the ex-Speaker of the Punjab assembly, Sabtain Khan.
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This development comes after the Supreme Court invalidated certain sectionsof amendments made to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) lastyear, ordering the restoration of corruption cases against publicrepresentatives.
In a 2-1 majority verdict, the top court approved Imran Khan’s petitionchallenging these amendments, which means that several high-profile caseswill once again be heard in the accountability courts. These cases involvefigures from various political parties, including PML-N Supremo NawazSharif, PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, former Prime Minister Yousuf RazaGilani, former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former Prime MinisterRaja Pervez Ashraf, and former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. This legalbattle began in June 2022 when the former premier challenged amendments tothe NAB ordinance.
