Special prosecutor summoned in Nusrat Bhutto case

09 Nov, 2005

An accountability court (AC) on Tuesday has directed special prosecutor to appear before the court on November 24, and assist the court on the point either a court could itself review its decision or not.
The court has also sought assistance of special prosecutor on a point about the sentence awarded by a court to a person who failed to appear before the court deliberately but later the court found that the accused was not mentally sound.
The court passed these orders in a reference against Begum Nusrat Bhutto, the mother of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was convicted by the court for not appearing before the court.
The court in a reference against Begum Nusrat Bhutto had convicted her for three years and also directed the NAB to forfeit her property.
The court, when decided to proceed against Nusrat Bhutto again and called for a report from the NAB, the counsel of Benazir Bhutto appeared before the court and informed that Begum Nusrat Bhutto was seriously ill and was not mentally sound.
The court, after hearing the counsel called special prosecutor for assistance on the points raised by the counsel of Benazir Bhutto.
Begum Nusrat Bhutto was facing the charges of making illegal assets in excess of her income.
Moreover, another accountability court adjourned till November 16, the proceedings in a reference against Ahmed Sadiq former political secretary of Benazir Bhutto and directed the NAB officials to submit reference against him before the court till next date of hearing.
The court, while passing direction to the NAB officials, observed that the NAB officials were investigating the matter for last five years and failed to submit reference against the accused.
The court observed that special prosecutor had sought time to submit reference before the court five years ago but failed. The court directed the respondents to submit the reference against the accused till next date of hearing.

Read Comments