KARACHI, March 31: Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto denied on Wednesday allegations by the prosecution pertaining to illegal appointments in Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (PIAC) during her tenure and said these are not supported by any evidence.
She stated this in her statement filed under Section 265-F (5) Cr PC before an accountability court, headed by Judge Parkash Lal Ambwani who is conducting trial against her and others in the PIAC reference. The statement was filed by her counsel Abdul Hafiz Lakho.
Benazir stated that allegations were not supported by any evidence as she never came in contact with any officer of the PIAC in connection with their appointments and promotions.
The questions, she stated, regarding false allegation of misuse of power was not reflected in the evidence nor did it show issuance of any instructions, whether legal or illegal, to favour anyone or provide financial benefits to anyone.
"I specifically deny that any such action was taken at my behest or otherwise illegal or in violation of rules of PIAC." Benazir stated she was unaware of the said application of the candidate to the manager employment PIAC and was not part of process.
She stated that the statements by prosecution witness, former ex-principal secretary to prime minister Ahmed Sadiq, (who was earlier an accused in the said reference) is false and was made to save himself.
But, she stated, without prejudice that the prime minister has powers to appoint an individual and relax rules, if necessary, for that appointment, saying it was exercised by all governments and recently Supreme Court ruled that the prime minister has powers to appoint individual to government posts.
"Had I interest in said appointments, I could have used powers exercised by the chief executive, including interim prime minister, to appoint said persons. I did not do so in this case."
She submitted that under universal laws of justice even if prosecution case is accepted, which is not, a person could not be tried for what was not a crime at time of occurrence, stating she was being prosecuted because powerful forces in the country fear from her popularity and wished to rid her from masses.
She stated that the purpose of such cases is to discredit elected representatives and make cases for dictatorship. On a previous hearing, Benazir's counsel while replying to prosecution's question asked under section 342 of Cr.PC stated the former premier was falsely implicated in said case as she had nothing to do with such appointments.
The court fixed April 16 for final arguments. Special prosecutor Nasir Hussain Jaffery represented the NAB. The reference was filed against Benazir Bhutto and others in May 1997 for making illegal recruitments in PIA during her government.
It was charged that accused, in collusion with each other, were involved in illegal appointment of 1393 persons in different cadres in PIAC. Prosecution alleged that the accused posted persons abroad and promoted various officials in violation of rules and regulations.
AVM (Retd) Umer Farooq, ex-MD PIA, Director PIAC Ghulam Qadir Shah Jatoi, Ms Naheed Khan and Najmul Hasan were named as co-accused in the reference. -PPI
