Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz on Tuesday skipped a hearing before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to attend his party meeting in Islamabad. The anti-corruption watchdog Lahore division had summoned Hamza Shehbaz, son of Shehbaz Sharif, to appear before it in connection to a case of “plundering the national exchequer. Preferring to attend his party meeting, the leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) decided to skip his appearance before the NAB officials and went to the federal capital to participate in the PML-N session. Hazma is accused of using funds from the national kitty to build a bridge for Ramzan Sugar Mills in Chiniot. Brother of Hamza, Salman Shehbaz, was also directed to appear in the case, but he had already gone to London. Hamza is also accused in another case pertaining to financial irregularities in the Saaf Pani Company. He had recorded his statement with the bureau on the charges against him. The anti-graft body had also instructed the brothers to present themselves for interrogation into a case of owning assets beyond means. The father of the two accused, Shehbaz Sharif, who is the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, is also under the custody of National Accountability Bureau for his alleged involvement in Rs 14 billion Ashiyana-i-Iqbal housing project scam. Published in Daily Times, October 31st 2018.