KARACHI: An accountability court in Karachi has rejected PPP leader and former petroleum minister Dr Asim Hussain’s petition seeking acquittal in a corruption case on Saturday. The court announced the decision on former petroleum minister’s petition. During today’s hearing, Dr Hussain and other accused appear before the accountability court. Dr Hussain was facing Rs17 billion corruption reference filed by the NAB in 2015.

In August 2015, the former petroleum minister was detained during a raid at Higher Education Commission office in Clifton area over alleged embezzlement. He was accused of concealing assets, granting illegal allotments, land grabbing, misuse of authority, fraud and giving illegal contracts during his tenure in Sui Southern Gas Pipelines Limited (SSGPL) and laundering money.