ISLAMABAD: The Accountability Court on Friday fixed December 22 for indictment of co-accused in illegal appointments case also involving former prime minister Shaukat Aziz. The same court had already declared Shaukat Aziz an absconder and issued his non-bailable arrest warrants; after he continuously failed to appear in proceedings, despite the issuance of summon notices.

The Accountability Court-II judge, while announcing reserved judgement, rejected acquittal pleas of co-accused persons including former federal minister, Liaquat Jatoi, Dr Basharat Hassan, Ghulam Nabi, Ismail Qureshi, and Yousaf Memon, and fixed December 22nd for framing of charges against them.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed a reference against Shaukat Aziz, who served as Pakistan's prime minister from 2004 to 2007, - over misuse of powers during his tenure. According to the NAB, Aziz had illegally appointed Basharat Hassan Bashir as a consultant for the Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) on Management Position-II (MP-II) pay scale.

The anti-graft body maintains that the appointment of Bashir violated MP scale policy guidelines, and the board's regulations. Basharat Hassan Bashir was appointed on January 1st, 2006, without open competition, the NAB says. After expiry of his consultancy contract in May 2008, Basharat Hasan Bashir illegally held the said post for almost five years without any extension, notification or regular appointment and kept on enjoying salary and all perks and privileges illegally in connivance with the management of the AEDB.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020