Ex-PM Gilani gets permanent exemption from personal appearance

ISLAMABAD: Accountability Court (AC) Islamabad granted on Monday a request by former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani seeking permanent exemption from personal appearance in a case related to award of alleged illegal advertising contract.

However, Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik said the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader will have to appear on the day when charges will be framed against the accused. The court would summon him whenever it will deem fit, he added.

The court deferred indictment of the former premier and others owing to the absence of two other accused.

To a question, the NAB prosecutor informed the judge that Inam Akbar, one of the two absent suspects, was currently imprisoned in Karachi prison. Upon this, the court summoned a report from the authorities concerned in this regard.

Another accused Saleem Baig also moved a plea for exemption from personal appearance, which the court said would be considered later on. The hearing was adjourned till March 28.

Ex-PM Gilani, former secretary of Information Technology Farooq Awan, former press information officer (PIO) Mohammad Saleem, former company secretary Universal Service Fund Syed Hasan Sheikh and other individuals were nominated in the corruption reference.

According to NAB, they allegedly misused their positions to illegally grant an advertising contract in contravention of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules, causing a loss of Rs129.07 million.