An accountability court here on Tuesday reserved order on application challenging framing of charge in NAB reference against former premier Benazir Bhutto and others in respect of illegal recruitment in Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) after hearing the arguments of both side counsels.
Concluding the arguments, Special Prosecutor Nasir Hussain Jaffery vehemently supported the indictment of accused under Section 9 of the NAB Ordinance, and submitted that charge was rightly framed under the said section of the NAB Ordinance.
He argued that then-Ehtesab Act had been repealed, and now all corruption offences after 1985 have to be tried under the NAB Ordinance.
He also contended that officials, who were holding the public offices, and involved in misuse and abuse of power are to be tried under the said Ordinance.
He pleaded that the court should dismiss the application and hear the closing arguments for disposal of corruption reference according to law.
It was the contention of the defence counsels, who were heard by the court on previous hearing, that charge was actually framed against accused under section 3 and 4 of the Ehtesab Act, and pleaded court to limit the reference on charges under Ehtesab Act deleting charges under NAB Ordinance, Corruption Act and Penal Code.
The court headed by Judge Parkash Lal Ambwani fixed September 22, 2004 for announcement of order on the application.
The reference was filed against Benazir Bhutto and others in May 1997 on illegal recruitment in the Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (PIAC) during her government.
According to NAB, the accused in league with each other involved in illegal appointments of 1,393 persons in different cadres in PIAC.
It alleged that accused posted person abroad and promoted various officials in violation of rules and regulations.
AVM Umer Farooq (Retd), former PIA managing director, PIAC Director Ghulam Qadir Shah Jatoi, Ms Naheed Khan, and Najmul Hasan were named as co-accused in the said reference.
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