LAHORE, Aug 9: The acquittal of Mian Manzoor Wattoo by the Lahore High Court in two references on Thursday does not enable him to contest October elections.

The former chief minister had opted for plea bargain in May last in three references pertaining to the misuse of Baitul Maal funds to the tune of Rs10.07 million. Allowing the bargain, the court had imposed a 10-year disqualification on him and his five accomplices under section 15 of NAB Ordinance for contesting elections for a public office. Wattoo’s appeal against his disqualification is still pending for adjudication with the LHC.

Section 15 (1) of NAB Ordinance reads: “any accused who has availed the benefit of plea bargain also be deemed to have been convicted by the court for an offence under the NAB Ordinance and shall forthwith cease to hold a public office if any held by him and further shall stand disqualified for a period of 10 years, to be reckoned from the day he has extinguished his liability relating to the matter in question, for being elected, chosen, appointed or nominated as member or representative of any public body, statutory body or local authority or in service of Pakistan.”

S.M Zafar who represented Wattoo in the plot reference said on Friday that the ex-CM was not qualified to contest next elections for having struck deal with the NAB.

Zafar, not aware of Wattoo’s release, if any, from jail following Thursday’s acquittal, said the PML-J leader still faced some corruption cases which could impede his release.

Wattoo has been implicated as co-accused with former Punjab food minister Tikka Iqbal in a reference pending for adjudication before an accountability court.

Wattoo and Tikka have been accused of causing a Rs44.7 million loss to the exchequer.

Meanwhile, the NAB has decided to challenge the decision of the Lahore High Court, setting aside Wattoo’s conviction by an accountability court on charges of making illegal allotments of 110 plots. The appeal would be filed with SC at the ‘earliest’.