Raja Pervaiz Ashraf’s acquittal plea dismissed in third RPP reference

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court Wednesday dismissed applications of former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and ten others seeking acquittal in the Naudero II power plant case.

Judge Muhammad Bashir issued the verdict on the petition and ordered the trial against the accused to continue. The anti-graft watchdog opposed the acquittal plea.

The anti-corruption watchdog had filed a reference pertaining to Naudero II power plant case in 2013 alleging that Ashraf and others accused misused powers, inflicting a loss of Rs75 million on the national exchequer.

The bureau had filed the reference against the PPP leader for alleged abuse power when he was serving as the minister for water and power during the Yusuf Raza Gilani government.

The accused tried to transfer the machinery of the Guddu Power Plant to the Naudero II power plant which was not approved by National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA).

The PPP leader was hoping to get an acquittal in the third reference filed by NAB. Last month, an accountability court had acquitted Ashraf, former finance minister Shaukat Tareen and six others accused in the Pira Ghaib rental power corruption reference.

The former prime minister was also acquitted in the Rental Power Plant reference regarding the Sahiwal-Multan project in June as well, as NAB failed to prove corruption charges against him.

Both the verdicts were issued by Judge Muhammad Bashir who heard today’s acquittal plea filed by the accused in the case.