October 24, 2003	Friday	Sha’aban 27, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 23: The Supreme Court directed the Accountability Court, Karachi, on Monday to decide the case against Ms Benazir Bhutto without being prejudiced by the observations made by the Ehtesab Bench of the Sindh High Court on her petition seeking annulment of a case against her.

The SC bench, headed by Chief Justice Shaikh Riaz Ahmad, after hearing advocate Farooq H. Naek, disposed of Ms Bhutto’s petition with the direction to the Accountability Court to decide the case on merit, and without being prejudiced by the observations made by the Ehtesab Bench comprising two judges of the Sindh High Court.

The government alleged that Ms Bhutto and her officials made 1,393 illegal appointments in the PIA, rejecting the rules and regulations of the organisations.

Besides Ms Bhutto, the other accused in the case are Naheed Khan, Air Vice Marshal (retired) Umar Farooq, former chief of the PIA; Ghulam Qadir Shah Jamote, former director, administration, PIA, and Siraj Shamsuddin.

Advocate Farooq H. Naek said Ms Bhutto had approved only two appointments in the PIA.