ISLAMABAD, Feb 19: An accountability court on Tuesday convicted three employees of the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) for causing a loss of Rs9.767 million to the national exchequer by purchasing 15 vehicles on higher rates in violation of procurement rules and regulations.

Judge Mansoor Ali Khan awarded Moazam Rashid Dar, the PARC accounts officer, a 10-year rigorous imprisonment (RI) on two counts and a fine of Rs5 million while the second convict S.A.K Rehmani, ex-member finance of the PARC, was also awarded five-year RI on two counts and a fine of Rs1.00 million on charges of criminal breach of trust.

Similarly, the court awarded third convict Abdul Quddus, the deputy director, a five-year RI and a fine of Rs1.00 million.

The court further directed that in case of default in the payment of fine, recovery procedure be initiated under section 386-B of the criminal procedure code (CrPC). However, the court granted the convicts the benefit of section 382-B CrPC under which their conviction would be counted from the day they were arrested. They were arrested on February 8, 2001.

The court has barred them from being elected as a public representative or seeking monetary benefits from any financial institution for 10 years.

Talking to this scribe the two convicts - Rashid Dar and S.A.K Rehmani - said they would challenge the conviction in Lahore High Court.

The court awarded a 10-year RI and a fine of Rs4 million to Moazzam Rashid Dar under section 9 of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Ordinance. While, on the other count he was also awarded five-year RI and a fine of Rs1 million under section 409 of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). Both the sentences will run concurrently.

Similarly Mr Rehmani was convicted to 5 five-year RI and a fine of Rs0.5 million under section 9 of the NAB Ordinance and RI of three-years and Rs0.5 million under section 409 PPC respectively.

Earlier, the PARC chairman, Dr C.M. Anwar, the principal accused, had already been awarded three-year RI under section 31A of the NAB Ordinance after being declared by the same court as proclaimed offender along with his four other associates in the reference.

He was found guilty of sanctioning Rs9.76 million over and above the sanctioned allocation of Rs12.373 million in the budget of 1995-96 for purchase of the vehicles.

Other accused who were also declared proclaimed offenders after repeated summons and warrant include Abdul Jabbar, the project director, Muzaffar Naushad, the assistant director, Aslam Pervaiz Durrani, assistant, and Daud Mir of Wings Motors Lahore.