LAHORE: Hearing of the money laundering and the Ramzan Sugar Mills references against Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and others was adjourned without any progress.

Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz appeared before the accountability court on his own as it was the first hearing after the bail granted to him in the money laundering reference.

Judge Jawadul Hassan expressed his displeasure over the late appearance of Hamza and directed him to attend the proceedings on time in the future.

The judge also admonished the jail officials for not reaching the court timely.

“This is not a court of Changa Manga,” the judge reminded the officials.

The jail officials said Mr Shehbaz could not be produced before the court due to his late arrival from Islamabad where he was taken to cast his vote for the Senate election.

The judge adjourned hearing in the money laundering reference till March 10 and put off the mills’ case for March 11.

rape case: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday recorded statements of eight more prosecution witnesses during the trial of the two suspects in the motorway gang-rape case in jail.

The defence counsel also cross-examined the witnesses, namely seven policemen and a doctor.

Presiding Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta adjourned further hearing of the case until March 6.

The other day, prime suspect Abid Malhi and co-suspect Shafqat Bagga, pleaded not guilty as they were indicted by the prosecution.

Gujjarpura police had lodged the first information report (FIR) under sections 376, 392 and 427 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

The suspects had raped the victim, a Pakistan origin French woman, in front of her three minor children after dragging her out of her car.

The car had stopped during the late night travel on the motorway after it ran out of fuel.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2021