Advertising contract case: NAB submits its reply in response to acquittal pleas of accused

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday submitted its reply before the Accountability Court in response to acquittal pleas of some accused in a corruption case of award of alleged illegal advertising contract to a private advertising agency also involving former prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani.

The NAB submitted its reply before the Accountability Court Judge, Muhammad Azam Khan, against the acquittal applications of accused, Farooq Awan, former secretary Ministry of Information Technology (IT), and Riaz Asher Siddiqui, former chief executive officer (CEO).

The NAB, while opposing the acquittal applications of the accused, requested the court to postpone arguments over acquittal applications till the next hearing due to absence of counsel for the accused persons.

The court allowed the NAB's request and adjourned hearing of the case till July 9. The court asked all the counsel to ensure their presence during the next hearing of the case.

The NAB had filed a reference against Gilani and others in the Accountability Court for alleged misuse of authority, causing a loss of Rs128 million to the national exchequer.

The other accused of the case include Muhammad Saleem, former principal information officer (PIO), Press Information Department (PID), Farooq Awan, former secretary Ministry of Information Technology (IT), and Riaz Asher Siddiqui, former chief executive officer (CEO), Universal Services Fund (USF) for misuse of authority in an illegal publicity campaign.