13 January 2004	Tuesday	20 Ziqa'ad 1424

KARACHI, Jan 12: A division bench of the Sindh High Court on Monday issued notices to the National Accountability Bureau for Jan 19 in an appeal and accompanying applications moved by a retired Naval officer convicted by an accountability court for purchasing defective vessels for the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation at inflated prices in his capacity as its director.

The bench, which consisted of Justices Ghulam Nabi Soomro and Azizullah M. Memon, also issued notices in applications moved by the appellant, retired commodore Mirza Ashfaq Baig, for suspension of his sentence and his release on bail. He was convicted, along with former navy chief Mansoorul Haq, by an accountability judge Parkash Lal Ambwani on Jan 8. Both were sentenced to serve seven years rigorous imprisonment and pay a fine of Rs 2 million each. Absconding co-accused rear admiral Javed Ali (retired) was sentenced to three years jail.

They were held liable for causing a loss of Rs 1.85 billion to the national exchequer by purchasing three substandard ships for the PNSC that were ultimately found unserviceable.

The appellant submitted through Barrister Azizullah Shaikh that the prosecution had failed to connect him with the commission of the offence. He was neither handpicked by the former navy chief to serve a stint with the PNSC nor was he in collusion with him or anybody else in the purchase of vessels. He was not a member of the PNSC acquisition or purchase committee and had nothing to do with the procurement of the three ships or of any other ship, he claimed.