Ramzan Sugar Mills is a sugar manufacturing company in Chiniot, Punjab, and it is part of the Sharif Group of Companies, the business empire associated with the family of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif . The mill was established in the early 1990s and has a crushing capacity of around 8,000 to 9,000 tonnes of cane per day (TCD) . It is one of the smaller producers in Pakistan’s sugar sector, but it has attracted national attention for two reasons: its ownership by a leading political family, and a high-profile accountability case that ended in acquittal in 2025 . This guide explains the business, the ownership, the distillery division and the legal history in plain terms.
The Business: Location and Capacity
The mill is located on the Jhang Road in Chiniot, about 26 kilometres from Jhang, on the bank of the Chenab River . It was incorporated in 1990 and began operations in the early 1990s . The crushing capacity is listed as 9,000 TCD on the Sharif Group’s own website, while other sources cite 8,000 TCD .
The company manufactures white refined sugar, along with its byproducts molasses and bagasse . It is a relatively small player in the national market. A 2026 industry overview listed Ramzan Sugar Mills at number 16 among Pakistan’s top sugar producers by market presence, behind larger groups such as JDW Sugar Mills and Tandlianwala Sugar Mills .
The Distillery Division: A Newer Addition
In 2023, Ramzan Sugar Mills commissioned a distillery division that produces Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA), a key ingredient for beverages, pharmaceuticals and industrial use . The stated capacity is 120,000 litres per day of ENA (over 96% purity) and 5,000 litres per day of B-grade ethanol (over 94%) . A CO2 plant with a capacity of 48 tonnes per day was also installed . This is a significant diversification beyond sugar, and it places the mill in a different product category from its core business.
Ownership: Who Actually Owns It
The ownership is a matter of public record, and it has been the subject of political controversy.
Ramzan Sugar Mills was established by Mian Muhammad Sharif, the patriarch of the Sharif family, in the early 1990s . It is part of the Sharif Group, which also has interests in other sectors .
According to a SECP report shared with a National Assembly subcommittee in September 2025, the shareholders of Ramzan Sugar Mills include Hamza Shehbaz Sharif, Salman Hamza Sharif and Nusrat Shehbaz . Hamza Shehbaz is a senior PML-N leader and the son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Nusrat Shehbaz is the Prime Minister’s wife. The same report listed Hamza and Nusrat as shareholders in Al-Arabia Sugar Mills as well .
This ownership structure is why the mill is frequently mentioned in political reporting. It is a private business, but it is owned by a family that holds high public office.
The Court Case: What Happened
The legal history is the part that most searches are looking for, and it is worth separating from the business facts.
In 2018, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed a reference alleging that Shehbaz Sharif, while he was Chief Minister of Punjab, and his son Hamza caused a loss of Rs 213 million to the national exchequer by misusing authority . The specific allegation was that Shehbaz issued a directive for the construction of a drain in Chiniot district that was primarily for the use of Ramzan Sugar Mills, which was owned by his sons .
The case moved slowly. In October 2024, an accountability court transferred the reference to an anti-corruption court for lack of jurisdiction following amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance . In February 2025, the Anti-Corruption Court in Lahore acquitted Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz, accepting their acquittal pleas . The verdict had been reserved on 3 February 2025 .
The acquittal was reported by PTV, BOL News and Business Recorder, among others . It effectively closed the criminal accountability proceedings against the two men in this specific reference.
Other Regulatory Attention
The mill has also been subject to routine regulatory monitoring. In August 2026, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) deployed Inland Revenue officers to dozens of sugar mills across Pakistan, including Ramzan Sugar Mills, under Section 40B of the Sales Tax Act, 1990 . The monitoring was for a one-month period from 21 August to 21 September 2026, to track production, sales and inventories . This is not a specific allegation against Ramzan Sugar Mills. It is part of a sector-wide compliance exercise.
Export Activity
Ramzan Sugar Mills has been an active exporter. A July 2025 report listed it among the sugar mills that exported sugar in 2024-25, with exports worth Rs 2.41 billion . Trade data for June 2025 to May 2026 shows 102 export shipments, with a total export turnover of USD 17.8 million, primarily to destinations including the Netherlands, Spain, South Korea, Tanzania and Ghana . The same data source lists imports of machinery and chemical products, with an import turnover of USD 265.3 thousand, mainly from China and the Netherlands .
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ramzan Sugar Mills?
It is a sugar manufacturing company in Chiniot, Punjab, established in the early 1990s and part of the Sharif Group of Companies. It produces white refined sugar, molasses and bagasse, and it has a distillery division producing Extra Neutral Alcohol .
Who owns Ramzan Sugar Mills?
The mill was established by Mian Muhammad Sharif. According to a 2025 SECP report, the shareholders include Hamza Shehbaz Sharif, Salman Hamza Sharif and Nusrat Shehbaz . It is part of the Sharif Group.
What was the Ramzan Sugar Mills case?
It was a NAB reference filed in 2018 alleging that Shehbaz Sharif, as Chief Minister of Punjab, and his son Hamza caused a Rs 213 million loss by building a drain primarily for the mill’s use. In February 2025, the Anti-Corruption Court in Lahore acquitted both men .
How big is the mill?
The crushing capacity is listed as 8,000 to 9,000 TCD . It is smaller than the major players in the sector, ranking around 16th by market presence in a 2026 industry overview .
Does Ramzan Sugar Mills export sugar?
Yes. It exported sugar worth Rs 2.41 billion in 2024-25 . Trade data for 2025-26 shows export turnover of USD 17.8 million, mainly to the Netherlands, Spain, South Korea, Tanzania and Ghana.
