NAB moves LHC against acquittal of Pervez Ashraf, others

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday filed an appeal before the Lahore High Court challenging acquittal of former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and others in a reference of illegal appointments in Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco).

An accountability court on Feb 3, 2020 acquitted Ashraf, former secretary for water & power Shahid Rafi, former managing director of Pakistan Electric Power Company Tahir Basharat Cheema, former directors of Gepco’s board of governors Saleem Arif, Malik Muhammad Razi Abbas and Wazir Ali, former chief executive officer of Gepco Ibrahim Majoka and its director human resource Hashmat Ali Kazmi. The NAB had filed the reference in 2016.

The appeal said the trial court acquitted the suspects ignoring the facts and evidence presented by the prosecution. It asked the LHC to set aside the impugned verdict of the trial court and convict them of the charges. The bureau accused Ashraf of making illegal appointments in the Gepco during his stint as federal minister for water and power. It alleged that the former premier misused his powers and appointed 437 people in the company from his electoral constituency in violation of rules.