KARACHI, Sept 14: An accountability court dismissed on Wednesday the acquittal plea of a contractor of the Thatta Cement Factory, who is facing charges of causing losses to the national exchequer.
Judge Qaiser Iqbal of the AC-1, who is also administrative judge of all ACs in Karachi, fixed Sept 28 for hearing of the case after rejecting the acquittal application of Mohammed Ashraf.
The contractor, along with Riazul Hasan Rizvi, former TCF MD, Maqsood Ahmed, manager sales, and a cement dealer Mohammed Ashraf, was booked in the reference.
The former TCF chief, former manager sales, and dealers — Mohammed Iqbal, Uttam Perkash, Sultan Salahuddin, Mohammed Ashraf and Mahesh Kumar -– were arrested in mid-April for causing loss to the national exchequer
On July 7, the administrative judge ordered the release of two dealers of the Thatta Cement Factory after approving their plea of bargain.
Accused Mohammed Iqbal Zai and Uttam Parkash were ordered to be released after they made payments to the extent of their liabilities.
The two dealers approached the chairman of the National Accountability Bureau with a bargain plea agreeing to pay back the amount they had secured through fake rebate claims. The NAB chairman accepted their plea and referred it to the administrative judge of accountability courts for approval.
Uttam Parkash deposited back Rs900,000 to the extent of his liability, while Mohammed Iqbal Zai made a partial payment of Rs2.35 million out of his total Rs6.92 million liability. He would pay back the remaining amount in two equal instalments as per the agreement with the NAB authorities.
BENAZIR CASE: An accountability court adjourned the hearing of a corruption reference against former Premier Benazir Bhutto and others after hearing arguments by an accused.
Judge Parkash Lal Ambwani of the AC-4 fixed Thursday for the next hearing after Barrister Azizullah Shaikh, counsel for Ghulam Qadir Jamote, partly submitted his arguments. The defence counsel will continue arguments on Thursday.
The reference against Benazir Bhutto pertained to 1,393 illegal appointments and promotion in different cadres and postings abroad in violation of existing rules, regulation and procedure during her tenure as prime minister.
Others, charged with corrupt practices included Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Umer Farooq, former PIA chief, Naheed Khan, Ghulam Hussain Kazi, Ghulam Qadir Jamote, Siraj Shamsudin and Najamul Hasan.
