Daily Times

An accountability court on Monday acquitted former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and other accused in a reference filed by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) over alleged illegal recruitments in the Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO).

Ashraf and seven other accused were nominated by NAB in a case of illegal recruitment in GEPCO. The accountability bureau had filed the reference against Pervaiz Ashraf in year 2016.

Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in a petition for his acquittal in the case had argued at an earlier hearing that the NAB had already denied irregularities in the recruitment process. He also contended that the court has no jurisdiction to hear the case after recent amendment in the NAB ordinance.

The investigation officer of the bureau in a previous hearing had pleaded to the court for more time to submit NAB reply over the plea.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday sought reply from NAB on bail pleas of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Ahsan Iqbal.

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had filed a bail petition in the court on Saturday. His lawyer pleaded to the court on Monday to approve the bail until completion of his client’s trial in LNG reference filed by NAB. “The petitioner has been in NAB detention for 191 days and the watchdog has filed only an interim reference against him till now,” the counsel argued. The petitioner and other accused have not been even provided the copies of the reference so far, the counsel said.

A copy of the court decision with regard to bail granted to Shaikh Imranul Haq, a co-accused in the LNG case, was also attached with the petition.

It is to be mentioned here that Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was taken into custody on July 18, 2019, in LNG scandal. As minister for petroleum and natural resources, he has been accused of granting contract on LNG to a favourite company.

Meanwhile, an accountability court in Sukkur on Monday adjourned hearing into a Rs 1.23 billion scam involving Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Khursheed Shah till February 18.

The hearing of the accountability court Sukkur bench was adjourned for February 18 and the court directed to present all accused in the case including the PPP leader on the day.

The former opposition leader in National Assembly was brought to the court on an ambulance from National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) Sukkur, where he is currently being treated for various illness under the NAB custody.

Separately, PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah on Monday refused to appear before NAB Lahore citing his engagements during the ongoing National Assembly session.

The former law minister was reportedly summoned for questioning in relation to matters pertaining to ongoing assets beyond means inquiry against him.

According to reports, a lawyer representing the PML-N leader appeared at the Lahore bureau and submitted a statement from Rana Sanaullah to the accountability watchdog. The lawyer said that his client is busy during the National Assembly session, which will continue till February 17.