LAHORE, Aug 5: An accountability court on Saturday issued warrants for the arrest of a former corps commander (Rawalpindi), Lt-Gen Zahid Ali Akbar (retired), requiring him to appear in court on Aug 10.

Headed by judge Shafqaat Ali Sajid, the court sent the warrants for the arrest to the DSP (legal) to produce the accused in court in the proceedings of reference which charges the former general, who had also been the head of Wapda and the Pakistan Cricket Board from 1987 to 1992, with misappropriating Rs176 million during the period he was heading the power authority.

The National Accountability Bureau sent a reference on which the accountability court proceeded initially on Aug 1 with the instructions to Mr Akbar to appear in person or through a counsel on Aug 5 (today). Since he failed to attend court, it issued warrants for his arrest.

The NAB sources say the court issued non-bailable warrants with the direction to the DSP (legal) to arrest Mr Akbar for production in court. But his counsel, advocate Ashtar Ausaf Ali, says bailable warrants were issued to ensure that the accused joins the proceedings in the reference by appearing in court personally or through the counsel.

The counsel also contends the charges contained in the reference are vague. They do not explicitly mention the nature of corrupt practices and also fail to make the exact nature of offence for which Gen Akbar has been charged by the NAB. The reference only says the accused had made money through unlawful means and that he did not declare his assets which have been found to be disproportionate to his known sources of income.