KARACHI, 13 August — Pakistan’s former Prime Minister and the main opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has sought acquittal in a case of recruitment in the national airline, PIA. She pleaded that the prosecution had failed to bring any concrete evidence against her in three years, a court official said here yesterday.

Abdul Hafeez Lakho, attorney for the former premier, in an application filed under Section 265-K before Judge Javed Alam of the Accountability Court, contended that the National Accountability Bureau could not produce any written order of Benazir, then prime minister, on recruitment in the national flag-carrier.

The defense counsel submitted that during the last three years the prosecution just abused the honorable court’s time rather than bringing concrete evidence which could have led to disposal of the case.

The senior attorney pleaded that such an abuse should come to an end and his client be acquitted under Section 265-K as the sole prime witness, former principal secretary to the then Premier Ahmad Sadiq, had also deviated from his early stance.

After hearing Benazir’s attorney, the judge adjourned the proceedings until Aug. 25. The court was set to frame new charges against Benazir, but the process was delayed as the Sindh High Court order exempting the accused from presence before the court at the time of framing of charges did not reach the lower court.

The Sindh High Court on Friday granted relief to Benazir by setting aside an order of a lower accountability court, seeking appearance of the absconding accused in the court for framing of amended charges in a corruption case.

The orders were passed by Javed Alam on May 19 and July 11 this year. Benazir, living in self-exile in London, is facing massive corruption charges.

Meanwhile, Zardari said that Benazir will return home when the nation wants her to return. Zardari does not rule out the possibility of Benazir’s immediate return if all the newly-elected councilors, who had won with the support of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), appeal to her to return.

“Together with the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy leadership, if these councilors ask her to come back, she will immediately fly back home,” he told The Dawn newspaper.  A time would come when people opposing military rule would feel the need for a genuine leader, and that was the time when she would return, said the former senator.