Graft reference against ex-PM Gillani’s media adviser enters decisive phase

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Friday said the statement of former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gillani’s media adviser Khurram Rasool would be recorded in the second corruption reference during the next hearing, ARY News reported.

Rasool is already serving jail term in a graft reference.

The second corruption reference against Ghulam Rasool regarding refinery scam also entered the decisive phase today. Accountability Jude Muhammad Bashir conducted the hearing and it was later adjourned till April 19.

Read: Ex-PM’s media adviser gets 9 years in prison for bank fraud

In the previous hearing on March 1, the accountability court had expressed displeasure over the investigation officer for failing to present witnesses in a graft case against Mian Khurram Rasool.

The judge slammed the prosecutor pleading the case on behalf of NAB and castigated him ‘for dragging the case’. If the IO didn’t appear on the next hearing, the bureau’s director general would be summoned to explain the position, the judge had warned.

NAB had filed a reference against Rasool on charges of inducing people to invest in the two companies by creating a false impression that they were doing business of sugar and scrap with the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) and the Pak-Arab Refinery Company (Parco).

It may be noted here that the accountability court had granted a request by Yousuf Raza Gillani seeking permanent exemption from personal appearance in a case related to award of alleged illegal advertising contract on March 15.