KARACHI, Jan 14: Former navy chief Mansoorul Haq on Wednesday challenged his conviction by an accountability court in a reference involving purchase of ships for the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation.

He and retired commodore Mirza Ashfaq Baig, a former PNSC director, were convicted by accountability judge Parkash Lal Ambwani on Jan 8 and sentenced to serve seven years rigorous imprisonment and pay a fine of Rs 2 million each. They were found guilty of causing a loss of Rs 1.85 billion to the public exchequer by purchasing three unserviceable ships for the PNSC. Co-accused rear admiral Javed Ali was sentenced to three years jail for evading the trial.

The appellant maintained in his appeal, filed through Advocate Iqtidar Ali Hashmi, that he had nothing to do with the purchase of ships by the PNSC. He did not manoeuvre the appointment of his favourites in the corporation to manipulate the vessels' purchase deal and secure kickbacks.

The appellant also alleged that the reference against him was instituted in contravention of a deal struck with him by the National Accountability Bureau. He paid 7.5 million dollars to the bureau to earn a reprieve, but the deal was not honoured and a criminal reference was made against him by the NAB chairman.

Assailing the accountability court judgment for misreading and non-reading of evidence, the appellant requested the high court to suspend his sentence and release him on bail pending hearing of his appeal.

BAIL GRANTED: A division bench of High Court of Sindh, comprising Justice Ghulam Nabi Soomro and Justice Azizullah M. Memon, on Wednesday granted bail to an accused and applicant Zahid booked by Orangi Town Extension police for killing Kamal in August 1997, adds APP.