Nandipur project case: Accountability court to announce verdict on Feb 20

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Monday has reserved the verdict of Nandipur Power Project case and adjourned the hearing till February 20.

According to details, judge Arshad Malik has reserved the verdict after hearing arguments of former law minister Dr Babar Awan, the National Accountability Bureau prosecutor and former prime minister Raja Parvez Ashraf’s counsel.

As the hearing underway, Dr Awan informed the court that he was not the law minister when two summaries had been sent to the Ministry of Law. “The new law minister did not even grant an approval after I left. Approvals are the law secretary’s responsibility and not the minister’s.”

He accepted that the Nandipur project was not completed but alleged that a corruption reference was initiated against him selectively.

Relaying his arguments to the court, the NAB prosecutor informed that the Rehmat Hussain Jafri commission’s report is present. “The law minister did issue one form that was required. The entire blame is on the incompetency level of the law ministry during Dr Awan’s tenure.”

Upon hearing this, Judge Malik remarked that this is such a small issue. “This minor issues should have been solved amongst yourselves and brought to court.”

Presenting his arguments before the court, the counsel for former PM Ashraf said, “Before a charge sheet is filed, all the convicts are supposed to provide all the relevant documents.”

His lawyer further added that he wanted to present some reports to the court before a decision pertaining to the case is made.

Hearing was adjourned till Feb 20 after Judge Malik reserved the verdict.