The accountability court of Islamabad on Tuesday summoned former federal ministers Khawaja Mohammad Asif and Syed Naveed Qamar for recording their statements in the Nandipur corruption reference on March 21.
The reference is about inordinate delay in legally vetting the Nandipur power project which led to an increase in the project cost by several billions rupees. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has nominated former law minister and senior leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Dr Babar Awan, former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and officials of the ministries of law and justice and water and power as accused in the case.
During Tuesday’s proceeding, Mr Awan, accompanied by dozens of lawyers, appeared before accountability court judge Mohammad Arshad Malik. Some of the lawyers harassed NAB prosecutor Usman Masood before the judge.
Mr Masood complained about the behaviour of Mr Awan’s supporters and requested the judge to take action against them. The judge, however, condoned the complaint. Former law secretary Masood Chishti and consultant of the law ministry Shamila Mehmood also appeared before the court, but former PM Ashraf, former secretary of water and power Shahid Rafi and other accused remained absent.
