An accountability court in Lahore acquitted Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader and former Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) chairman Asif Hashmi in two references of National Accountability Bureau (NAB), reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Thursday.

The references had been filed against him over illegal recruitments in the ETPB.

The court also acquitted seven other suspects in the references, stating that the NAB could not prove its cases against Asif Hashmi and others.

Accountability Court No. 6 Judge Azizullah Kallu pronounced the reserved verdict on the plea of Asif Hashmi.

It is to be noted here that Asif Hashmi has been acquitted in three out of four NAB references against him. He was yesterday acquitted in a reference of illegal investment by an accountability court.

It is worth mentioning here that Asif Hashmi, as chairman, illegally recruited 777 people against various slots in the ETPB, according to the NAB reference.

The NAB reference also alleged that he recruited 950 people in various educational institutions run by the ETPB.

“All these illegal recruitments were made by Asif Hashmi as ETPB chairman between 2009 and 2012,” said the NAB reference.

“Asif Hashmi illegally recruited his blue-eyed people. He abused his powers as ETPB chairman,” added the NAB reference.

Reporter: Jamaluddin Jamali