LAHORE - An accountability court on Wednesday acquitted Asif Hashmi, former Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) chairman in illegal plots allotment case.
Accountability Court Judge Asad Ali announced the verdict while allowing acquittal application of the accused. The court had reserved its verdict, after hearing detailed arguments of the parties, on April 20 and it was announced in open court on Wednesday. In his final arguments, National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) Prosecutor Haris Qureshi had argued before the court that the accused illegally allotted plots and caused damage to national exchequer. He pleaded with the court to dismiss the acquittal applications. However, a counsel on behalf of the accused submitted that as per departmental policy, the plots were allotted to ETPB employees. He submitted that after the filing of the reference, the allotment of plots had been cancelled. He submitted that no damage had been caused to the national exchequer while pleading with the court for acquittal of the accused. It is pertinent to mention here that NAB and Federal Investigation Agency had filed various cases against Asif Hashmi who served as ETPB chairman between 2008 and 2013. Hashmi had obtained bail in NAB cases but he was still under judicial custody in FIA cases.
Accountability Court Judge Asad Ali announced the verdict while allowing acquittal application of the accused. The court had reserved its verdict, after hearing detailed arguments of the parties, on April 20 and it was announced in open court on Wednesday. In his final arguments, National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) Prosecutor Haris Qureshi had argued before the court that the accused illegally allotted plots and caused damage to national exchequer. He pleaded with the court to dismiss the acquittal applications. However, a counsel on behalf of the accused submitted that as per departmental policy, the plots were allotted to ETPB employees. He submitted that after the filing of the reference, the allotment of plots had been cancelled. He submitted that no damage had been caused to the national exchequer while pleading with the court for acquittal of the accused. It is pertinent to mention here that NAB and Federal Investigation Agency had filed various cases against Asif Hashmi who served as ETPB chairman between 2008 and 2013. Hashmi had obtained bail in NAB cases but he was still under judicial custody in FIA cases.
