ISLAMABAD - An accountability court in Islamabad on Wednesday rejected the acquittal plea of former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and other suspects in the Nandipur reference.

Accountability Court Judge Azam Khan conducted the hearing and turned down the petitions filed under the National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance. The accountability court ordered to continue the trial and remarked that the accused did not deserve any relief under the NAB (Amendment) Ordinance. The NAB had also opposed to approve the acquittal pleas of the suspects.

It is pertinent here to mention that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Babar Awan was acquitted in the case before the approval of the NAB (Amendment) Ordinance. The reference was filed after the national exchequer suffered loss worth billions of rupees due to delay in the Nandipur Power Project.