LAHORE, April 13: Accountability court judge Rana Abdul Ghaffar Khan disqualified on Saturday former Punjab chief minister Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo from holding any public office.

The disqualification was ordered in the references 6/1999, 1/2000, and 2/2000 under section 25 read with section 15 of the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance.

A news release issued by the NAB, Punjab, said during his term as chief minister of the province, Wattoo had misused his authority by granting Rs5 million to the Lahore Cadet College and the Model Welfare Society, Lahore, each, and Rs700,000 to the driver of absconding co-accused, Hanif Wattoo.

The principal amount, Rs10.7 million, and a Rs1.65 million penalty were deposited with the NAB in April and February, 2000, respectively.

Wattoo argued that he should not be disqualified for public office since the case was initiated against him under the Ehtisab Act, 1997. The judge, however, rejected the plea, pointing out that the Ehtisab Act had been repealed.