ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad on Monday put off a case pertaining to alleged embezzlement in the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) until June 19, ARY News reported.
The reference was put off due to Accountability Judge Muhammad Bashir being on leave.
Read More: 16 female govt employees confess to benefit from BISP
The accountability court directed former BISP chairperson Farzana Raja and other accused persons nominated in the reference by the National Accountability Burea (NAB) to show up on the next hearing.
Earlier this year, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed a reference against former BISP chairperson for abuse of power. The bureau accused her of inflicting a Rs500 million loss on the national exchequer.
Read More: NAB files reference over alleged corruption in BISP
NAB Chairperson Justice (r) Javed Iqbal approved the reference against the PPP leader on December 3, 2019.
PM’s Special Assistant on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation Sania Nishtar disclosed that about 140,000 government employees had been receiving payments under the financial assistance scheme.
She said 2,543 government officials from grade 17 to 21 were among beneficiaries.
Read More: Grade-20 officer among 27 illegal BISP beneficiaries served notices
