An accountability court on Tuesday accepted the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) plea to close a corruption case against PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.
Earlier the Accountability court Judge Jawadul Hassan had reserved the verdict after hearing arguments of a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor.
The prosecutor had contended before the court that the bureau’s chairman had given his approval to close an inquiry against the Chaudhry brothers over alleged illegal purchase of 28 plots in the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) city.
He said it transpired during investigation that it was the Chaudhry brothers’ employee who had purchased the plots and that no evidence was found to show their involvement in the scam.
He, therefore, pleaded with the judge to grant its plea to close the case against the PML-Q leaders.
Earlier, the corruption watchdog had clarified hat it shelved an inquiry against PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in a Lahore Development Authority (LDA) case over lack of evidence.
AC defers verdict on Babar Awan’s acquittal plea in Nandipur case
An accountability court (AC) in Islamabad on Tuesday once again deferred the announcement of its reserved verdict on acquittal plea filed by former law minister Dr Babar Awan in Nandipur Power Project reference. The court on Friday had reserved its verdict and was set to announce it on April 30.
As soon as the hearing underwent, the AC Judge, Arshad Malik said, the pleas of acquittal filed by other accused in the reference are also under the trial in the court. “The court will announce its verdict after hearing all the pleas”, he remarked. The court later adjourned the hearing into the case until May 6.
Accountability Court of Lahore on Tuesday extended judicial remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Aleem Khan till May 13 in assets beyond known sources of income and offshore company case. On this occasion, strict security measures were taken outside the court with certain roads shut down using barriers and barbed wires.
Aleem Khan’s judicial remand extended till May 13
On April 20, Accountability Court of Lahore extended former Punjab minister for Local Government Aleem Khan’s judicial remand for 10 days in assets beyond means case.
In February, the Accountability watchdogs arrested minister at the time, Aleem Khan, after he was unable to satisfy NAB Lahore.
Nonetheless, soon after the arrest of Punjab’s Minister Aleem Khan, he forwarded his resignation to Chief Minister of the province, Usman Buzdar.
Dr Asim allowed going abroad for treatment
An accountability court approved on Tuesday Pakistan Peoples Party leader Dr Asim Husain’s plea for medical treatment abroad. The court was hearing bail plea, filed by Dr Asim Hussain, in a corruption case of Rs17 billion. Hussain asked the court to allow him permission to travel abroad for medical treatment from 2 to 31 May. The court, while accepting his plea, allowed Dr Asim to travel abroad for the treatment. The court adjourned the hearing until May 7 due to absence of NAB prosecutor.
Dr Hussain, a close aide of former president and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, faces several charges. According to NAB, Dr Hussain created an artificial shortage of gas during his tenure, as a result urea fertilizer prices skyrocketed and touched Rs1,830 from just Rs850. Last year, the court had allowed Dr Asim to travel abroad from 2 to 30 October for treatment.