RAWALPINDI, Sept 9: Former Managing Director of the Printing Corporation of Pakistan (PCP) Pir Mukarramul Haq has decided to move the Lahore High Court against his conviction by an accountability court in a corruption reference.

Family sources told Dawn on Thursday that Pir Mukarram, brother of PPP leader Pir Mazharul Haq and husband of PPPP MPA from Punjab, Farzana Raja, had decided to move the LHC against the AC's decision soon.

The accountability court on Wednesday awarded seven years rigorous imprisonment to the former PCP chief and a fine of Rs10 million for failing to prevent a loss of Rs23.95 million to the national exchequer in printing telephone directories.

A co-accused in the case, Tahir Ali of Usman Enterprises, Lahore, was sentenced to three years RI and a fine of Rs5 million. He was charged with abetting Pir Mukarram in misusing his authority and thereby gaining unlawful pecuniary benefits.

Pir Mukarram was arrested on June 20 last year by the NAB. In August 2002, Pir Mukarram was dismissed from the service but the dismissal was set aside by the Federal Services Tribunal, which reinstated him.

On June 20, 2003, when Pir Mukarram went to the PCP to report for duty, a representative of the NAB whisked him away from his office. Meanwhile, Pakistan People's Party vice chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim on Thursday denounced the sentencing of Pir Mukarram.

In a statement on Thursday, the PPP vice-chairman said that selective application of accountability law against political opponents and rewarding the "turncoats" with ministerial portfolios had made a mockery of the accountability process.

He said the vast difference between the acquittal to conviction ratio in the accountability and other courts raised serious questions about the independence of accountability courts. Mr Fahim urged human rights bodies to raise voice against torture and victimization of political opponents by the regime.