LAHORE, June 4: A local accountability court on Saturday asked former Punjab chief minister Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo either to face trial or enter into a plea bargain with the National Accountability Bureau if he wanted his petition for acquittal to be considered. Headed by judge Shafqaat Ahmad Sajid, the court declined to hear Mr Wattoo’s plea for acquittal, observing that the he was meeting none of the requirements and in these circumstances, his application could not be considered.

The court adjourned further hearing of references against him till June 11.

The former chief minister is facing charges of appropriation of the Punjab Baitul Maal funds in three references made out against him under the Ehtesab law of 1997.

He contends that he had paid Rs107,000 and according to law he could not be proceeded against.

Mr Wattoo pleads that the charges against him were framed in the references made out under a 1997 law, which did not have the provision of a plea bargain. The old law, he submits, allowed acquittal upon payment of embezzled money.

He says his case was not covered by the latest Ehtesab Ordinance, which provided for a plea bargain.

When the NAB court raised this question in the past, Mr Wattoo moved the Lahore High Court in a writ petition challenging the proceedings under the new law and also contended that he could not be disqualified from taking part in politics after he had returned the amount.

The high court, however, did not accept his argument and remanded the case to the NAB court with the direction that he had either to stand trial or enter into a plea bargain for acquittal. But he did not meet any of the requirements and, instead, insisted on the hearing of his plea.

HASHMI: The court also adjourned the proceedings in a reference against ARD president Javed Hashmi till June 18.