April 22, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 15, 1429

RAWALPINDI, April 21: A division bench of Lahore High Court here on Monday adjourned hearing of about 20 appeals filed against NAB references under the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) 2007 till April 29.

The bench comprising Justice Maulvi Anwarul Haq and Justice Ali Akbar Qureshi issued notices to Attorney General of Pakistan and the Prosecutor General NAB to assist the court whether these cases could be entertained under the NRO.

Prominent among the accused who have filed the appeals under the new law are former federal minister for petroleum Anwar Saifullah Khan and ex-managing director Pakistan Printing Corporation Peer Mukarramul Haq.

There were three corruption references against the former minister. Earlier, an accountability court had absolved him of the charges but the government filed an appeal in the LHC’s Rawalpindi bench against the acquittal.

Mr Khan was allegedly involved in awarding natural gas quotas to some of his close aides without proper procedures. It was also alleged that he got commission while awarding the gas quotas.

NAB has alleged that the former minister during his tenure also awarded quota for natural gas to ex-Balochistan minister Mohammad Sarwar Khan Kakar for his gas company which at that time even did not exist.

NAB in its appeal maintained that the acquittal of the accused “is based on surmises and conjectures and is highly presumptive”.

There are two corruption references against Peer Mukarramul Haq, who is brother of Peer Mazharul Haq, leader of the house in Sindh Assembly, and husband of Farzana Raja, secretary information PPP Punjab. It is alleged that Mr Haq committed irregularities in the purchase of printing materials and papers during his tenure as managing director of PPC in 1984-85.

The accused allegedly purchased paper for the corporation without advertising the deal and got commission for publication of directories.

The corruption references, however, were filed against him in 2003 and an accountability court awarded him seven and five years’ sentences in the two cases. The accused underwent three years’ imprisonment after which the Supreme Court released him on bail.