Alleged misuse of authority: Ex-PM Gilani others to be indicted on December 13

The Accountability Court on Tuesday said that former prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani and others would be indicted on December 13 for alleged misuse of authority that caused a loss of Rs 128 million to national exchequer.

The Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Azam Khan while hearing the case fixed December 13 for indictment of Gilani and others in a case about illegal issuance of tenders of government advertisements. The court summoned former premier Gilani and other accused on the next hearing to be held on December 13.

The NAB had filed a corruption reference on September 7, 2018 against Gilani and others including Muhammad Saleem, former principal information officer (PIO), Press Information Department (PID), Farooq Awan, former secretary Ministry of Information Technology (IT), and Riaz Asher Siddiqui, former chief executive officer (CEO) Universal Services Fund (USF), for misusing authority in illegal publicity campaign through Midas Pvt Ltd and attempting to cause loss to national exchequer.

The other accused in the case also include Inam Akbar, CEO Midas, Syed Hasan Shikoh, former company secretary USF, and Muhammad Hanif, former personal assistant to public relation officer IT, for misuse of authority in illegal publicity campaign through Midas Pvt Ltd and attempting to cause loss to national exchequer to the tune of Rs 128 million approximately.

The NAB said that in the 26th USF meeting dated December 28, 2011, accused Gilani, being then minister in-charge for IT and chairman USF, directed to run a media campaign for highlighting the achievements of the USF.

Farooq Awan, former Secretary Ministry of IT, misused his authority in award of illegal publicity campaign through Midas Pvt Ltd against rules and attempted to cause loss to national exchequer.

CEO Midas Inam Akbar allegedly violated the PID instructions and prescribed procedures regarding media campaigns and undertook the entire electronic media campaign without getting any written orders (release order) neither from Ministry of IT nor from USF and served bill for payment.

The media campaign was launched by Midas (Pvt) Ltd which was not on the panel of USF, neither before nor afterwards. However, it was manipulated by accused Riaz Asher Siddique, CEO USF, to place it on the panel in connivance with accused Muhammad Saleem, PIO, and PID to legitimize the media campaign and facilitate payment of Rs 128 million.

There was no competition held for formally awarding the media campaign, which is totally against the PPRA rules and policy guidelines by M/o Information & Broadcasting and PID.

The NAB said the accused persons in connivance with one another processed for an ex post facto approval by the board to legitimize the payment to Midas (Pvt) Ltd.