LAHORE, June 19: An accountability court on Thursday sentenced Pakistan Medical Housing Society former chairman Dr Azhar Ata Malik to 10-year rigorous imprisonment and fined him Rs12.5 million in yellow cab scam.

The court has also disqualified the convict for holding any public office for 10 years under Section 15 of the NAB Ordinance. Besides, the court refused to adjust the total term awarded to him against the period he had served in jail after his arrest.

Dr Ata was charged with obtaining a loan from the United Bank Limited for 40 yellow cabs in 1993 on the name of 20 fictitious people. He allegedly opened 20 fictitious bank accounts with the UBL to get the loan under the prime minister’s yellow cab scheme after preparing forged documents. He was also accused of having gained Rs7.746 million, causing the loss of as much amount to the national exchequer.

While convicting the accused, the court observed that the prosecution had proved its case without any doubt while Dr Ata had failed to rebut the allegations levelled against him.

This is Dr Ata’s second conviction in a NAB reference, as he has already been awarded 10-year rigorous imprisonment together with Rs90 million fine in a corruption reference.