ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad on Monday declared former Benazir Income Support Programme chief and Pakistan People’s Party leader Farzana Raja proclaimed offender and issued her arrest warrants in connection with purported corruption in issuing advertisements without adhering to relevant laws.
Raja headed the programme from 2008 to 2013 during the government of her party. She is accused of embezzling Rs1.5 billion from its funds. These funds were embezzled on the pretext of issuing advertisements, according to the National Accountability Bureau.
During the hearing, accountability judge Syed Asghar Ali ordered the authorities to block her identity card and place her name on the Exit Control List.
Raja would be separated from the case and the court would set a new date for her indictment, the judge said.
The court summoned the NAB investigating officer in the case and adjourned the hearing until June 14.
In the reference, the dirty money watchdog has claimed that BISP awarded contracts to advertising agencies in the years 2009-10 and 2010-11 in violation of the Public Procurement Rules, 2004.
It further alleged that Rs1.657 billion was awarded to one advertising agency namely M/s Midas (Private) Limited.
The competent authority authorised an inquiry on May 23, 2014, which was subsequently upgraded into an investigation. It further said that the evidence collected during the investigation has established that Raja and others being public office holders, by misusing their respective authorities, pre-qualified advertising agencies in the year 2009 and awarded the media campaign of the BISP in violation of the PPR, 2004 as well as PID guidelines and released media payments against the alleged exaggerated fake bills submitted by the suspects and committed the offense of corruption and corrupt practices.
