Court Exonerates Ex-Minister Dr Asim from Major Corruption Charges
Court exonerates ex-minister Dr Asim from major corruption charges following recommendations from the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), Sindh. Dr Asim Hussain, a former petroleum minister and close aide to President Asif Zardari, initially faced a Rs462.5 billion reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in 2016, alleging financial losses from 2010 to 2013.
Dr Asim Exonerated from Majority Charges
The NAB reference, encompassing a Rs450 billion fertiliser scam, Rs9.5 billion in land encroachment, and Rs3 billion for money laundering, was transferred to a provincial anti-corruption court after amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO). The ACE subsequently filed an investigation report with Judge Muhammad Aminullah Siddiqui.
Judge Siddiqui accepted the ACE’s C-class report, which recommended cancellation for corruption and misconduct allegations, noting they were “not substantiated during investigation.” However, the court lacked jurisdiction over the Rs3 billion money laundering charges, directing the investigating officer to file a separate report in the relevant court. This development was also reported on SindhNews.com.
The outcome marks a significant legal turn for Dr Asim, clearing him of the core corruption allegations while ensuring continued scrutiny of the separate money laundering accusations.