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Former minister gets 14 years in jail for corruption |
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October 8, 2000
ISLAMABAD (AP) - A former federal minister was sentenced Saturday to 14 years in jail for misusing his power, the state-run news agency said. Former Communications Minister Azam Khan Hoti also was fined 20 million rupees or dlrs 333,000 and disqualified from holding public office for 21 years, The Associated Press of Pakistan reported. Hoti was a minister in the deposed government of Nawaz Sharif, who was thrown out in a bloodless military coup one year ago. Sharif also is in jail charged with corruption. Hoti was found guilty by a special anti-corruption court set up in the 16th century Attock Fort, 70 kilometers (42 miles) west of the capital Islamabad. Hoti was said to have misused his power to make money on the awarding of a contract. Army chief Gen. Pervez Musharraf vowed to weed out corruption when he took power from Sharif last Oct. 12. He set up special anti-corruption courts and passed a sweeping accountability law that gives broad powers to the government to arrest and detain anyone suspected of corruption. The burden of proof of innocence is on the accused. The law has been sharply criticized by human rights groups in Pakistan. Musharraf defends the law as necessary to clean up the corruption which is endemic in Pakistani politics. |