KARACHI, May 24 An accountability court acquitted an adviser to the Sindh chief minister and his wife in a corruption case on Monday.

The accused couple — Zia-ul-Islam and Perveen Islam — were charged with accumulating moveable/immoveable properties during their employment as government servants. Their assets were not compatible with their known and legitimate sources of income and the National Accountability Bureau filed a reference against them in 2003.

Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the Accountability Court-I pronounced his verdict after recording the evidence of witnesses and final arguments from both sides.

The court acquitted the couple as the prosecution failed to prove the charges against them.

Ex-CM manhandling case

A judicial magistrate on Monday acquitted a man allegedly involved in a case pertaining to the manhandling of former Sindh chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim.

The court exonerated Agha Javed Pathan from all charges for lack of evidence against him.

He filed an acquittal application under Section 249-A of the criminal procedure code in court and Judicial Magistrate (south) Adam H. Ishaq allowed the plea after hearing arguments from both sides.

The police arrested the accused on April 9, 2008 on charges of manhandling the former CM on the premises of the Sindh Assembly.

A case (FIR 202/08) was registered against him at the Preedy police station under Sections 502, 452, 506-B 337-A and F of the Pakistan Penal Code. Later, he was released on bail.