The court accepted both of their acquittal petitions.

Judge Iqbal Dogar of the special anti-corruption court announced the reserved verdict on the acquittal petitions, ordering dismissal of charges against PM Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shahbaz.

In 2018, NAB filed a reference against both political figures, alleging that they caused loss of 213 million rupees to national exchequer by ‘misuse of authority.’

It also accused Hamza Shahbaz and Shehbaz Sharif of causing loss to national exchequer by constructing a drain in Chiniot for Ramzan Sugar Mills in 2015.

The accountability court in Lahore framed charges against Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz on April 9, 2019.

After new evidence and supplementary references were filed, the charges were re-framed on August 6, 2020. On February 14, 2019, a two-member bench of the Lahore High Court granted bail to Shehbaz Sharif. On February 6, 2020, a two-member bench of the Lahore High Court also granted bail to Hamza Shahbaz.

After amendments to NAB laws, the accountability court in Lahore sent the reference back to NAB on September 11, 2022. When the Supreme Court declared the NAB Amendment Act null and void, the reference was sent back to the accountability court for hearings on September 22, 2023. On September 6, 2024, the Supreme Court reinstated the NAB amendments. On October 17, 2024, the accountability court in Lahore transferred the Ramzan Sugar Mills reference to the anti-corruption court.