An accountability court in Islamabad on Wednesday announced that it will hear the Nandipur Power Project reference after wrapping up National Accountability Bureau (NAB) cases against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, a private TV channel reported.
Accountability Court II Judge Arshad Malik heard the reference against former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Babar Awan and others.
During the hearing, the judge remarked, “The court is busy with references against Nawaz Sharif as the Supreme Court has directed us to conclude the cases by November 17.”
During the hearing, the NAB also submitted a reply in the court pertaining to Awan’s acquittal plea. The court delayed the indictment of Ashraf, Awan and five others accused in the reference and exempted Ashraf from appearances till the date of indictment.
Earlier this month, the court had fixed October 24 as the date for the indictment of the seven accused. The hearing of the case was then adjourned till November 26.
On Monday, the accountability court had announced that it will hear a NAB reference against former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani after wrapping up cases against Nawaz.
On September 4, the NAB had filed a corruption reference against former minister for law Babar Awan regarding delay in the Nandipur project. The then federal minister for water and power, Raja Pervez Ashraf, along with other officers of the ministry, also faces a corruption reference for delay in the project.
Published in Daily Times, October 25th 2018.
