Anti-corruption court summons Pakistani interior minister

ISLAMABAD, Dec. 18, 2009 (Xinhua) --

An anti-corruption court in Pakistan summoned Interior Minister Rehman Malik Friday in a graft case after the Supreme Court revived cases against thousands of people including President Asif Ali Zardari and several ministers.

The interior minister has been accused of unauthorized release of imported yellow cabs and taking money from the man who had imported the cars.

The National accountability court in Karachi summoned Malik to appear on Jan. 8, his lawyer Khwaja Naveed said.

Local media earlier reported that the court had issued arrest warrant for the interior minister.

But Malik's lawyer said that the court accepted his plea that Malik will appear in the court and there is no need to issue warrants.

Sources said that the National Accountability Bureau had asked the Interior Ministry to put names of 247 people, including ministers, on the Exit Control List.

The immigration authorities barred Defense Minister Ahmed Mukhtar from visiting China Thursday night as his name was also put on the list.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday declared null and void a law which had granted amnesty to around 8,000 people, who had been accused of corruption, terrorism, and murder.

The law known as National Reconciliation Ordinance, or NRO, was introduced by former President Pervez Musharraf in October 2007.

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