Gilani gets exemption from appearance in corruption case

Court orders authorities to present Midas CEO in next hearing

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad on Thursday again ordered the authorities to present the accused, including advertising agency owner Inam Akbar, in court in a case regarding the breach of rules in the award of government advertisement contracts.

Accountability court judge Muhammad Arshad Malik heard the reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau that names former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, advertising agency owner Akbar, former bureaucrats and others among the accused.

During the hearing, the court ordered the authorities to present the absconding Inam Akbar in the next hearing, for which Sindh’s home secretary has been directed to issue production orders.

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Explaining the position on Inam Akbar, the investigation officer (IO) informed the court that the suspect was held at Malir Jail in another case due to which he could not be presented in court. The NAB prosecutor maintained that an accountability court in Karachi was undergoing hearing for the case against Inam Akbar and other suspects.

While asking for Akbar’s production in the next hearing, the court adjourned the case until May 30.

The Supreme Court in its orders had asked the accountability court to hold daily hearings of the case and to decide the case within the stipulated time.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has been given permanent exemption from attending hearings of the case.

According to the NAB’s reference against the Gilani, Akbar and others, the suspects allegedly partnered in running an electronic media campaign of the Universal Service Fund (USF) on 32 television channels from April 12-22, 2012, thorough Midas.

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During its investigations, NAB obtained reports from the 32 television channels pertaining to advertisement expenditures amounting to Rs150 million paid to Midas through USF.

It states that Gilani in 2011, as minister of IT, ordered the running of a media campaign to highlight the achievements of the USF. It accused the IT ministry’s then secretary Farooq Awan of misusing his authority in the award of illegal publicity campaign through Midas in violation of rules, thus causing losses to national exchequer. It also names USF secretary Riaz Siddiqui, IT ministry’s former public relations officer Muhammad Hanif of violating regulations.