Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the arrest of Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf in the Rental Power Projects (RPP) scam, a major blow to the government and the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).A three-member bench led by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to arrest 16 accused including the PM within 24 hours and submit a report tomorrow. The Supreme Court had earlier ordered to the NAB to assign criminal liability in the case.
PM Ashraf, three ex-Cabinet ministers and four former secretaries of government departments have been accused in the case.
Ashraf is facing accusations of taking bribes in 2008 when he served as the federal minister for water and power. The prime minister also came to be known as 'Raja Rental' after he was accused in the case. He is facing allegations of buying property in London from wealth amassed through involvement in various scams as well.