Pakistan's ex-PM Raja Pervez Ashraf to be indicted on Feb 8

Islamabad, Jan 21 (IANS) An accountability court here will indict former Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and other accused in the rental power projects case on February 8, the media reported.In 2014, Ashraf was accused of misusing his authority as the Minister for Water and Power to push the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) and the Cabinet to increase the down payment to rental power companies from seven per cent to 14 per cent.According to details, on April 13, 2009, he sent a summary to the ECC, allegedly containing misleading facts about not meeting the terms and conditions of the seven per cent advance and advised them to double it.The accountability court's judge Arshad Malik presided over the hearing of the case and ordered all accused to appear before the court on the next hearing, the Express Tribune reported on Monday.The court will approve chargesheet against the accused on three rental power projects including Reshma Power Generation Limited, Gulf Rental Power Ltd and Young Gen Power Ltd.Meanwhile, Ashraf's defence pleaded with the court for permanent exemption of his client's appearance in the case. Justice Malik, however, replied that the matter would be considered after chargesheet was produced by the National Accountability Bureau, the country's anti-corruption body.
--IANS soni/