ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday opposed the acquittal plea of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Raja Pervez Ashraf in two rental power projects cases.

The bureau took the stance at the hearing of the acquittal plea of Mr Ashraf in the accountability court on Wednesday.

The PPP leader is seeking acquittal under an ordinance the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government recently promulgated to amend the NAB law which redefined the offence “misuse of authority” and also defined NAB’s jurisdiction.

In his petition, Mr Ashraf requested the court that he should be acquitted in cases pertaining to Reshma Rental Power Project and Gulf Rental Power Project under the new amendments to the NAB law.

The bureau on the other hand opposed the acquittal of Mr Ashraf saying that NAB had sufficient evidence to link the PPP leader to the offence.

Mr Ashraf contended in the petition that there was no evidence with NAB regarding taking any financial benefits or kickbacks for these Rental Power Projects (RPPs) therefore as per the presidential ordinance, the procedural loopholes could not be called corruption and corrupt practice.

Though the ordinance under which Mr Ashraf is seeking acquittal from the court has lapsed, the court continued hearing of the case as the PPP leader had filed the petition when the ordinance did not lapse.

The NAB prosecutor said that witnesses and evidence would be produced in the court during trial proceedings in the cases.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2020