Suleman Shehbaz claims no notice received from JIT in sugar mills probe

A joint investigation (JIT) has summoned PML-N leader Suleman Shehbaz next week, warning him that a no-show would mean he had no defence to present, but the former Punjab chief minister's son claimed he had received no notice yet.

Suleman had also been summoned earlier to the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) in Lahore on September 25 but he failed to appear.

In the latest notice issued to him, he has been ordered to bring all necessary documents with him on October 1. It stressed that "if Suleman Shehbaz does not appear, it would be assumed that he has no defence to present".

"The details of a dubious investment worth more than Rs10 billion from Al-Arabia Sugar Mills are sought from Suleman," the notice added, underscoring that the PML-N leader should appear in person.

Speaking to Geo News, Suleman said he did not get any notice from the team but offered to be interviewed in London if they travel to the British capital.

"I did not get any notice from the team," the PML-N president's son said. "I have not decided whether I will appear in person or respond through a lawyer," he added.

Addressing the recent food commodity crises in Pakistan, the PML-N leader said: "The real culprits of the sugar scandal are in the government. The FIA should first issue notices to Prime Minister Imran Khan and [Punjab] Chief Minister Usman Bazdar.

"The FIA should summon others in the Cabinet; summon the real culprits first and then we may be called," he added.