KARACHI, Oct 6: Judge Mohammed Javed Alam of the accountability court-IV framed on Saturday amended charges against former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and four other accused in a reference regarding misuse of authority and illegal appointments in PIA.

However,the accused present and counsel, appearing on behalf of others, pleaded not guilty.

The court, after amending charges, summoned prosecution witnesses for recording their statements in the court on Oct 18.

The reference filed against former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, her political secretary, Naheed Khan, Najamul Hasan, former MD PIA Air Vice Marshal Farooq Umar, and Director Administration PIA Ghulam Qadir Shah Jamote, stated that all the accused, in collision and in connivance, conjointly favoured many persons by appointing them in different cadres in PIA instead of those who appeared in written test and interviews in the period 1995-96 in violation of rules and regulations.

Abdul Hafeez Lakho and Azizullah Shaikh appeared for Benazir Bhutto and Naheed Khan, respectively. Syed Nasir Husain Jaffery represented the National Accountability Bureau.

ASIF’S PRODUCTION: The District and Sessions Judge Karachi East, Ali Sain Dino Matelo, repeated the production order of Asif Ali Zardari, husband of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, through the IG Prison and the home secretary for Nov 3, while hearing Murtaza Bhutto murder case here in the Central Prison.—PPI