NBP president moves petition for acquittal in Ishaq Dar supplementary references

Petition says there is no probability of conviction

ISLAMABAD: National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) president Saeed Ahmed moved an application in an accountability court on Wednesday seeking acquittal in supplementary references filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against former finance minister Ishaq Dar.

Ahmed, accused of facilitating Dar in creating assets beyond known sources of income through unsolicited means, was indicted in April by an accountability court.

The petition seeks acquittal on the basis that there is no probability of conviction of the “accused of any allegations as charges do not attract any of the provision of National Accountability Ordinance.”

It highlights that the four witnesses who have recorded their testimonies, examined and cross-examined thus far, have not mentioned the applicant's name. Remaining witnesses are irrelevant as nothing could be established in support of the charges framed against Ahmed, it added.



The petition stressed that statement of Muhammad Nasim was ‘fatal’ for the prosecution team as forensic examination had concluded the signatures in question did not tally in characteristic with routine signatures of the NBP president.

“Allegations have no nexus with the known source of income with assets disproportionate which could not reasonably account for similarly there is no allegation of misuse of authority to gain any benefit or favour for himself or any other person by the applicant/ accused. Thus this is a fit case to be discharged and the applicant entitled for acquittal” reads the application.