Minister exempted from personal appearance

LAHORE: An accountability court on Friday granted exemption from personal hearing to PTI leader Sibtain Khan until the filing of reference against him in Chiniot Mining investigation.

The court while accepting Sibtain’s plea for exemption adjourned the hearing until the NAB files reference in Chiniot Mining illegal contract investigation.

The NAB had arrested Sibtain Khan in June 2019, on charges of awarding a multi-billion dollar contract to an alleged fake company in 2007.

As PML-Q minister for mines and minerals at that time he had awarded a contract for extracting minerals in Chiniot District.

The NAB had also accused former secretary Imtiaz Ahmad of constituting a committee comprising Muhammad Aslam and Abdul Sattar on the directions of then minister Sibtain Khan for approval of the contract.