BB, 4 others acquitted in recruitment reference
From Zeeshan Mirza

KARACHI—Judge Parkash Lall of Accountability Court has acquitted PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto and four others in the reference filed against them on their alleged involvement in making illegal appointments in PIA. The others are PPP-P MNA Naheed Khan, Col Basit, Abdul Qadir Jamoot and Naeem-ul-Hassan. The court in a short order announced that prosecution counsel had failed to present any solid evidence or witness in the case registered under Ehtesab Act, therefore, the charge in question is not proved against the accused. They are exonerated honorably.
Reference on making 1397 illegal appointments in PIA was filed against Benazir Bhutto under Ehtesab Act during the last tenure of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Nasir Hussain Jaffery appeared on behalf of the accused. A large number of PPP workers and leaders were present outside the court at the time of pronouncement of judgment. They chanted slogans “Jeeai Bhutto, Jeeai Benazir” as soon as the verdict was delivered.
It may be recalled that the judge of accountability court put off the decision for three times and eventually rendered the decision in the evening. Meanwhile, the PPP has welcomed the verdict of the Accountability Court Karachi quashing aside the PIA reference against former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and termed it as triumph of justice.
The Accountability court number 4 in Karachi on Wednesday honourably acquitted all the defendants in the case saying g that the prosecution had failed to establish its charges against the accused. Besides former Prime Minister other defendants included Naheed Khan, Air Marshal Umar Farooq former Managing Director PIA, Ghulam Qadir Jamot and Najmul Hassan a former official in the PM’s secretariat.
The case was based on the regime’s allegations against Bhutto that she had made appointments in the PIA in violation of the rules and policy. In a statement today vice chairman of PPP Makhdoom Amin Fahim said that the Wednesday’s court verdict had proved the political nature of accountability under General Musharraf. He said that the Party was confident that Benazir would also be acquitted in all other cases.
INP adds: Accountability Court on Wednesday acquitted former Prime Minister and Chairperson Pakistan People Party (PPP), Benazir Bhutto and others in the PIA reference. Benazir Bhutto, her Political Secretary, Miss Naheed Khan, Former Managing Director PIA, (Retd.) Air Marshal, Umar Farooq, former Director, Administration, Ghulam Qadir Jamoot and section officer, Najmul Hassan were acquitted honorably by the court in a reference established against them for inducting 1093 employees in the PIA illegally, keeping aside the merits required for these posts.