–Accountability judge says reference could not be made against accused persons as no loss had been incurred to national exchequerISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Thursday acquitted former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, former finance minister Shaukat Tareen as well as all eight other accused nominated in one of the 11 references related to the Rs22 billion Rental Power Projects (RPPs) cases. Announcing the verdict in the ‘Sahiwal Rental Power Reference’ on Thursday, Accountability Judge Muhammad Bashir remarked that there had been no loss incurred to the national exchequer, therefore a reference could not be made against the accused. The verdict came in an acquittal plea submitted by the former premier and PPP leader, Ashraf, as well as all the other accused in the case. The former premier had contended in the petition that there was no evidence with NAB regarding taking any financial benefits or kickbacks for these Rental Power Projects (RPPs) therefore as per the presidential ordinance, the procedural loopholes could not be called corruption and corrupt practice. Ashraf, who served as premier between June 22, 2012 and March 25, 2013, was accused of receiving kickbacks and commissions from nine rental power project firms for awarding contracts for setting up their projects in 2008 to overcome the electricity crisis in the country.

Source: Pakistan Today June 25, 2020 11:03 UTC