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KARACHI, Dec 23: An accountability court adjourned the hearing of a corruption reference against Javed Burki, a former federal secretary and former chief of the Pakistan Automobile Corporation (Paco), and another accused to Dec 28.
Judge Mohammed Jawaid Alam of the AC-4 ordered the prosecution agency to produce Mr Burki and co-accused Muzammil Niazi, former managing director of Paco, in the court on the next date of hearing.
The former chairman of Paco, arrested a couple of days ago on corruption charges, had been sent to judicial custody by the judge on Dec 21.
The prosecution informed the court that co-accused Niazi could not be produced in the court as he was hospitalized in Lahore during his transitory remand.
The reference against Mr Burki and Mr Niazi was filed by the National Accountability Bureau on Dec 20.
According to the reference, Paco had entered into an agreement with the Pakistan Army in 1987 for the production of Yasoob trucks by utilizing assembly and body fabrication facilities then technically available at Paco.
The army placed an order for production of six prototypes of six-ton trucks in 12 months for technical evaluation and experimentation through their use in the field. In July 1989, Paco delivered to the army seven prototypes of trucks, produced at the Trailer Development Corporation, a subsidiary of Paco.
In May 1991, the army asked Paco to indigenously produce trucks by utilizing the then existing manufacturing and technical facilities at its production unit.
However, the accused allegedly established new technical facilities for engine, axle and production of trucks at Bin Qasim through three newly- established joint venture companies under the umbrella of Management Partner Ltd. The new joint venture comprised Paco employees and minority shareholders from the private sector.
It was alleged that Paco suffered huge financial losses, which ultimately brought about its closure in 1997. Besides, financial investment of the Pakistan Army in the project allegedly went down the drain.
KIDNAPPING CASE: An anti-terrorism court put off the hearing of a kidnapping for ransom case against two police officials and two other accused.
Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-3 fixed Tuesday for the examination of further evidence against ASI Shahzad Baig, constable Jawaid Nazeer, Waseem Ansari and Mujahid Hussain after recording the statement of the complainant.
Complainant Mohammed Jaffer deposed that his wife, Fauzia, was a hosiery worker. On Nov 5, her two colleagues, Shazia and Sadia, came to his house around 5:30pm. After a short while two hosiery contractors also came to his house.
He deposed that the accused, riding in the car (B-6324) of Wasim Ansari, came to his house and took him along with the three women and the two contractors in their car and a hired taxi.
The accused released the complainant to arrange Rs50,000 for the release of his wife, who was in their custody along with her two colleagues. The accused also released the two contractors after extorting whatever money they had with them.
The accused, along with their hostages, were intercepted by the Gulzar-i- Hijri police near Sohrab Goth and later handed over to the Buffer Zone police, which registered the kidnapping for ransom case against them.
