LAHORE Former president Bank of Punjab Hamesh Khan has been made a target, as he had refused to become approver against Ch Pervaiz Elahi and Ch Moonis Elahi in Harris Steel Mills case and to give loans to the sons of Punjab Chief Minister, PML-Q chief Ch Shujaat Hussain alleged here on Sunday. He expressed these views while addressing a news conference along with party leaders Kamil Ali Agha, Ch Zaheerud Din, Ch Shafaat Hussain, Makhdoom Khusru Bakhtiar, Mian Imran Masood and others at his residence. He said PML-Q was neither defending nor pleading the case of Hamesh Khan, as the facts would be revealed in the court of law. However, Sharif brothers efforts to implicate Chaudharys and their family members in Bank of Punjab case would prove futile. Ch Shujaat said Hamesh Khan gave a written statement to the US State Department through his attorney John Kenneth Zwering and his law firm Zwering, Leibig and Moslely P.C, that he had been threatened to be deprived of 'health and career if he refused to become an approver in Harris Steel Mills case and also to sanction loan to Sharif family. Narrating details to the media about the entire episode, PML-Q Central Secretary Information Senator Kamil Ali Agha said in early 2007, when Pervaiz Elahi was the Chief Minister Punjab, Shahbaz Sharifs two sons, Hamza and Salman, had approached Hamesh Khan personally to seek a loan for their sugar mill business. Kamil said the loan had been refused by BoP credit risk management department because of the brothers previous defaults with the bank. He said Usman, the General Manager of Sharifs sugar mills business on behalf of Sharif brothers, threatened Hamesh of 'dire consequences for his refusal to them. Later on, when Shahbaz Sharif came to power in February 2008 elections, he quickly summoned Hamesh Khan to meet him with a purpose of getting Rs500 million loan from Bank of Punjab (BoP), so that their Ittefaq Sugar Mill could acquire a sugar mill owned by Chaudhry Munir, said Kamil. He went on to say that Hamesh was told by Shahbaz that this was his opportunity to make up for his previous loan refusal in that amount. Kamil alleged that Shahbaz Sharif, after knowing that bank could not provide Sharifs an unsecured loan in that amount, he was asked to make the loan directly to Munir Sugar Mill instead and this exercise would constitute their payment to Munir for the sugar mill. However, the PML-Q leader said Hamesh Khan once again refused to entertain the request of Sharif family as Munir Sugar Mill had already maximised its credit with the bank and bank policy would not permit such a loan directly to Munirs mill. The PML-Q secretary information further told the media that the Sharifs pressurised Hamesh to find another bank to accommodate their request after which he introduced Bank Islami to them but advised the bank to exercise its own due diligence on the said request. He said that Usman, Sharifs sugar mills GM, had brought a message to Hamesh from Hamza Shahbaz that his non-cooperative behaviour and his leaking of the news was going to cost his 'health and career. The same threat, said Kamil Agha, was repeated three more times including a threat to Hameshs life through his personal secretary, Mujeeb Khan, at that time. Kamil further stated that Hamesh had to hold two separate meetings with Shahbaz Sharif at his Defence residence where both sons of Shahbaz Sharif, Hamza and Salman, were also present. Kamil, citing the statement of Hamesh Khan, said that during the meeting, the BoP president was asked to inform the Chief Minister about the dealings of Pervaiz Elahi and his family. The Chief Minister was told that there existed no bad dealings of Pervaiz Elahi with anyone including Harris Steel Mills case. He alleged that Hamesh was asked by Shahbaz Sharif to become an approver against Ch Pervaiz Elahi and on the constant refusal of Hamesh, Chief Secretary Javed Mehmood was given the task who summoned Hamesh and conveyed anger of Sharifs over his attitude. However, Hamesh once again refused to become a part of this conspiracy. Thereon, he was told that his family would be suffering now due to his non-cooperation in this regard. Kamil told the media that several raids were conducted at Hameshs residence without any warrant or charge sheet. He said that all tactics were used against Hamesh and his family to pressurise him for lending hefty loan to Sharifs and becoming an approver against Pervaiz Elahi. Responding to a query, Ch Shujaat said Ch Pervaiz Elahis visit abroad was a routine and he would return next week.