Gepco recruitment case: Court acquits ex-PM Pervaiz Ashraf, seven others

LAHORE: An accountability court Monday acquitted former premier Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and seven others nominated by the NAB in the Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) illegal appointments case.

This is the first case that is decided after amendment to the NAB law. Judge Amjad Nazir Chaudhry acquitted former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Pepco’s ex-MD Tahir Basharat Cheema, Gepco’s ex-CEO Muhammad Ibrahim Majoka, Gepco’s ex-HR and admin director Hashmat Ali Kazmi, Muhammad Razi Abbas, Saleem Arif, Wazir Ali and Shahid Rafi.

The court had accepted acquittal application of Raja Pervaiz Ashraf which was filed after the government introduced amendments to the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance. Ashraf and others also claim that NAB had denied irregularities in recruitment. In September 2017, Pervaiz Ashraf and others were indicted by the accountability court. The NAB filed the reference against Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Pepco’s ex-managing director Tahir Basharat Cheema, Gepco’s ex-CEO Muhammad Ibrahim Majoka, Gepco’s ex-HR and admin director Hashmat Ali Kazmi, Muhammad Razi Abbas, Saleem Arif, Wazir Ali and Shahid Rafi in 2016. It was alleged that the accused disregarded, disobeyed and deviated from the recruitment rules and made 437 illegal appointments in Gepco. After his acquittal, Pervaiz Ashraf while talking to media said the PPP had always respected courts. “We fight cases in courts not against them,” Raja added.