LAHORE: An accountability court on Thursday disposed of as withdrawn a pre-arrest bail petition of former chief minister Usman Buzdar in an inquiry launched by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against him and others on charges of misuse of authority and corruption in the award of a liquor licence to a hotel.

A prosecutor told the court that a recommendation for the closure of the inquiry had been sent to the chairman of the NAB. He said the custody of Buzdar was not required to the bureau.

At this, Buzdar’s counsel Barrister Momin Malik sought permission from the court to withdraw the bail petition.

The court allowed the request and disposed of the bail petition of Buzdar as withdrawn.

Talking to the media persons, Buzdar said he did not commit any wrong but served the people of the province with honesty.

To a query about the launching of the inquiry during the government of the PTI, Buzdar said he had many ‘friends’ but he did not want to name them.

In his bail petition, the former chief minister had pleaded before the court that the inquiry was a result of mala fide of the NAB.

He stated that there was no evidence on record to suggest that he derived any illegal pecuniary advantage of benefit in any manner whatsoever.

He said no offence was made out against the petitioner for want of arrest under any provision of the NAO 1999.

Published in Dawn, january 6th, 2023