LAHORE, Nov 10: A local accountability court said on Thursday it would review the statement of charges that the NAB had submitted against ARD President Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, observing that it seemed incomplete.

Headed by judge Shafqaat Ahmad Sajid, the court told the PML-N acting president that it would formally put the charges against him and other accused after ascertaining if the NAB had formulated all the legal questions in accordance with its evidence and the statements of witnesses as required under section 347 of the CrPC.

The court remarked that such a statement was a legal requirement after the prosecution formally closed its evidence. The NAB closed its evidence in the reference against Mr Hashmi and his family members after more than three years.

As many as 46 witnesses, mostly revenue officials, had recorded their statements and had been cross-examined since proceedings in the reference began on Feb 2002.

The court adjourned till Nov 22 further proceedings in the reference. Mr Hashmi will record his statement to mark the beginning of the defence version in the reference as and when the court posed specific questions.

X-RAY: The court told Mr Hashmi that it would pass an appropriate order on his request for an X-ray of his teeth from the Punjab Dental College.

Mr Hashmi said he had written a letter to the court that the X-ray facility was not available at the Services Hospital where he was being treated for his dental illness.

VARIYO: Meanwhile, the same court adjourned till Nov 22 the hearing of a reference against former federal minister Chaudhry Akhtar Ali Variyo from Sialkot.

The references charge Variyo that his assets, whose value is about Rs50 million, are disproportionate to know sources of his income. —Correspondent