LAHORE, July 1: An accountability court trying former deputy speaker Haji Nawaz Khokhar in a corruption reference was informed on Monday by the UBL that the total liability of the accused towards the bank was being calculated and it needed more time for it after which the proceedings were adjourned till next hearing.

The court on the last hearing had asked the Rawalpindi UBL to consider the offer made by Mr Khokhar to surrender his 150 acres land in lieu of the land he got pledged for Rs10.59 million loan. A bank representative informed the court that before considering this offer, the total amount of loan yet to be payable by Mr Khokhar would be calculated first. “The process of calculating the total liability to date is underway and record is being perused for which we need further time,” pleaded the representative whose plea was allowed.

Haji Nawaz Khokhar has been accused of getting 150 kanal Shamlat-i-Dai (land jointly owned by villagers) situated in Loi Bhe village near Islamabad transferred illegally in his wife’s name. He has further been accused of evading Rs1.8 million zila council fee on the land.

Mr Khokhar after having pleaded guilty to the charges had moved an application for plea bargain offering to surrender 150 kanal land and to pay Rs1.8 million amount alleged to have been evaded.

However, after coming to know that the land had been pleaded for Rs10.50 million loan by the accused the court had directed him to file the application afresh. This direction came following a disclosure by the NAB that the land could not be released to it by the UBL since it had been pledged for loan.

This time in his amended application the accused offered to give 150 kanal land from his personal sources to the bank to make the release of land pledged earlier by him. The bank authorities had been directed to consider the pros and corns of the offer and inform the court in case of any legal hindrance.

Mr Khokhar had sought plea bargain in November last for the first time when the court was to hear final arguments on the case. The court would deliver final orders on the plea bargain application once bank accepts the offers after receiving the remaining amount of loan.