The National Accountability Court (NAC) Friday acquitted Pakistan Peoples Party MNA Nawab Yousaf Talpur in URSUS tractors case as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) failed to produce insufficient evidences. The URSUR reference was registered against Talpur, former Director General ADBP in 1998 and main allegation in the case was of receiving kickbacks in Ursus tractor deals negotiated during 1990s. According to the reference, the accused was indulged in acts of corruption in the purchase of 5,900 Russian and Polish Ursus tractors at a cost Rs150,000 each under the Awami Tractor Scheme (ATS), in violation of rules and regulations of the ADBP. The deal allegedly caused a loss of Rs 268.30 million to the ADBP and Rs 1.671 billion to the State Bank of Pakistan on account of exemption from customs duty and sales tax.
