Illegal appointments case: Court defers indictment of Shaukat Aziz

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Monday deferred the indictment of former prime minister Shaukat Aziz in a case related to illegal appointments until January 5, ARY News reported.

The indictment was deferred as the co-accused have filed an acquittal plea in the case after the promulgation of the NAB amendment ordinance.

Defense lawyer in his arguments before the court stated that the acquittal plea is currently under trial in the high court. “The NAB has sought time in the HC and the court will take up the case on January 17,” he added.

The lawyer of the accused pleaded with the accountability court to defer the indictment until the judgment of the HC.

However, the court rejecting the plea deferred the indictment until January 5.

Case

NAB had filed a reference against Shaukat Aziz, who served as Pakistan’s prime minister from 2004 to 2007 – over misuse of powers during his tenure as prime minister.

NAB contends that he had illegally appointed Mr Basharat Hasan Bashir as a consultant for the Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) on Management Position-II (MP-II) pay scale.

The accountability watchdog maintains that the appointment of Bashir violated MP scale policy guidelines and the board’s regulations.

Basharat Hasan Bashir was appointed on January 1st, 2006 without open competition, NAB said. After expiry of his consultancy contract in May 2008, Basharat Hasan Bashir illegally held the said post for almost five years without any extension, notification or regular appointment and kept on enjoying salary and all perks and privileges illegally in connivance with the management of AEDB.