An accountability court (AC) in Islamabad on Wednesday rejected the acquittal plea filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal in the Narowal Sports City reference, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

AC Judge Asghar Ali pronounced the verdict he had reserved on the last hearing. 

Talking to the media outside the court, Ahsan said the prosecution had failed to prove him guilty in the case. “The case had been filed against me only to bring a bad name to me,” he alleged. 

An AC in Islamabad had indicted PML-N Secretary-General Ahsan Iqbal in the Narowal Sports City reference on December 22, 2020 as the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

During the hearing, Ahsan Iqbal, before his indictment, raised objections over the process and said a judge first needed to ascertain whether there was even the case or not. “A judge does not speak only after listening to the prosecution,” he argued.

However, Asghar Ali – the accountability court judge – stopped him from arguing and said, “They are not sitting here for hearing such things.”

“Submit an application if you want to or talk through your lawyer,” said the judge who went on with the indictment. “We are saying this after looking into the presented record that prima facie there is a case,” he noted.

Reporter Ehtesham Kiyani