LAHORE:An accountability court on Tuesday sought a reply from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB)till January 4 on an acquittal application filed by Fawad Hassan Fawad, former principal secretary to prime minister, in assets beyond means case.

Accountability Court Judge Uzma Akhtar Chughtai conducted the proceedings, wherein Fawad Hassan Fawad appeared and got his attendance marked . A pleader, Advocate Anwaar Hussain, also appeared on behalf of Begum Rubab, wife of Fawad Hassan Fawad, who had obtained permanent exemption from personal appearance in the matter.

The defence counsel, on behalf of Fawad Hassan Fawad, filed an acquittal application, saying that it was a bogus case and the same should be decided as soon as possible. He submitted that his client did not want to obtain benefit under the amended NAB ordinance and pleaded with the court to acquit his client on merit.

The court, after hearing the arguments, issued notices to the NAB and sought reply on the acquittalapplication.

The bureau had alleged that the former principal secretary had accumulated assets beyond his sources of income. It was alleged that he owned assets worth Rs 5 billion besides multiple benami accounts.

It is pertinent to mention here that a Lahore High Court division bench had granted post-arrest bail to Fawad Hassan Fawad in the case.