ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad on Wednesday reserved its verdict on the acquittal pleas filed by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and others in the Nooriabad Power Plant reference.
The accountability court will announce its reserved verdict on February 15. AC Judge Muhammad Bashir heard the case. At the outset of the hearing, a petition was submitted on behalf of Sindh CM Shah seeking his exemption from the court appearance for today.
The NAB opposed the acquittal pleas and dismissal of the reference. The NAB prosecutor said that in the light of the Islamabad High Court judgment, the reference could not be sent back to the NAB. As per the IHC decision, the proper forum where the reference could be sent is Anti-Corruption Court, Karachi, the prosecutor added.
The lawyers, however, said that the IHC decision did not apply on this reference. The NAB prosecutor said that the accountability court did not have the jurisdiction to hear the reference. He requested the court to dismiss the acquittal petitions. After hearing arguments from both sides, the court reserved its judgement. After that, the court adjourned the case till Feb 15.