Chief Justice Aamer Farooq remarks that accountability court has not provided reasons in its decision to reject acquittal pleas, and there were no findings in the decision
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Nov 7th, 2024) The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday directed the accountability court to reconsider the acquittal pleas of the PTI founder and Bushra Bibi in the £190 million case. The court instructed that the decision on the acquittal pleas should be given with detailed reasons.
Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb presided over the hearing on the acquittal requests by the PTI founder and Bushra Bibi in the £190 million NAB case.
The court inquired, “Is your main ground that since personal interest is not proven, the acquittal request should be accepted? Why did you file for acquittal at this stage?”
Zaheer Abbas, the lawyer for the PTI founder, argued that unless personal interest is established, the cabinet’s decision is protected under NAB amendments.
The Chief Justice remarked that the accountability court had not provided reasons in its decision to reject the acquittal pleas, and there were no findings in the decision.
The CJ said, “We will return the case to the accountability court, so it can make a new decision with reasons,”.
The PTI founder's lawyer asked the court to issue directions for the accountability court to decide within two weeks.
The NAB prosecutor pointed out that the accountability court had not ruled on Bushra Bibi’s acquittal request. Her lawyer responded that Bushra Bibi had never held public office and that 35 witnesses had not implicated her.
The court acknowledged that Bushra Bibi is not a public officeholder and is the spouse of the PTI founder, and thus directed instructions concerning her plea as well.
