ISLAMABAD: An accountability court (AC) on Wednesday issued non-bailable arrest warrants against former prime minister Shaukat Aziz in a case filed against him over the alleged misuse of power during his tenure.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed a reference against the former premier and others for illegally appointing Basharat Hassan Bashir as a consultant for the Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) in an alleged violation of rules, reportedly resulting in losses up to Rs 21 million.
Islamabad’s AC Judge Arshad Malik issued the warrants against Aziz following his constant non-appearance in the proceedings of the corruption reference filed by the NAB.
The case also involves former Sindh chief minister Liaquat Jatoi, ex-federal secretary Ismail Qureshi, former AEDB chairman Air Marshal (r) Shahid Hamid, and former AEDB secretary Brig Dr Nasim Akhtar Khan. The court had approved requests to be excused for the day’s hearing by these accused.
However, the court expressed displeasure over the absence of others named in the reference.
The next hearing of the reference was postponed until November 1, 2018.
Aziz, who served as the prime minister for three-and-a-half years in the PML-Q-led government (2002-2007), currently lives in the United States (US).
According to the bureau, the process of complaint verification, inquiry and investigation have been completed against the former prime minister after he was found guilty.
