ISLAMABAD: The Accountability Court, on Tuesday, turned down acquittal application of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senior leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in illegal appointment of former chairman Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) Tauqeer Sadiq case.

The Accountability Court-I judge, Muhammad Bashir, while announcing its reserved judgement over the acquittal pleas, also rejected acquittal applications of Sikandar Hayat Mekan, ex-senior joint secretary Cabinet Division and Javed Nazir, member selection committee from the OGRA.

They ordered to continue trial of Ashraf and other accused.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed a reference against former Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, former water and power minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and other accused for their alleged involvement in the illegal appointment of former chairman OGRA Sadiq.

The other accused include Shaukat Durrani, Member Technical for selection process, Javed Nazir, member selection committee from OGRA, Sikandar Hayat Mekan, ex-senior joint secretary Cabinet Division.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021