Court rejects former PM Gillani’s exemption plea

Orders to present Midas Pvt Ltd CEO Inam Akbar at next hearing on Feb 18


Our Correspondent January 16, 2019
PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court has rejected the plea of former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani seeking exemption from appearing before the court in a case related to running an advertising campaign allegedly in violation of rules and regulations.

The Accountability Court Number 2 judge Arshad Malik on Tuesday turned down the exemption plea in presence of Gillani and his counsel said the court cannot allow exemption prior to indictment of charges.  He also ordered authorities to present the co-accused Inam Akbar before the court in the next hearing.

The defence counsel was told that the court may consider review of the plea if it is filed after indictment of charges. The hearing for the exemption plea was later adjourned till February 18.

During the hearing, NAB prosecutor informed the court that the co-accused Inam Akbar had been arrested and was locked up in Karachi Central Jail.

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According to the reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), former PM Gillani, Midas Private Ltd CEO Inam Akbar and others allegedly ran an electronic media campaign for the Universal Service Fund (USF) on 32 television channels from April 14-22, 2012.

NAB later launched a probe into Rs150 million payments made by the USF to Midas Private Ltd. It also demanded a report from 32 channels. The Ministry of Information Technology former secretary Farooq Awan, the USF former CEO Riaz Ashar Siddiqui, the USF former secretary Hasan Shaikh, Midas CEO and the IT ministry’s former PRO Muhammad Hanif allegedly abused their authority and ran an ad campaign through Midas Private Ltd, causing heavy losses to the national exchequer.

According to NAB, the USF held its 26th board meeting in December 2011. The then prime minister, who was also heading the IT ministry and acting as the USF board chairman, directed to run the campaign.

It claims that former IT secretary Farooq Awan while abusing his authority ran the illegal campaign. Midas CEO violated the rules of the Press Information Department in order to run the electronic campaign. In order to get the campaign, no release order was issued by the IT ministry or the USF.

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