Quashing of supplementary references: AC defers announcement of reserved judgment on Zardari's petitions

ISLAMABAD: The accountability court on Friday deferred announcement of its reserved judgment on former president Asif Ali Zardari's petitions seeking quashing of three supplementary references pertaining to multi-billion fake accounts case against him filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), till Sep 23rd.

The accountability court judge Muhammad Azam Khan, on Sep 17 had said the court would announce its reserved judgment on Zardari's plea seeking dismissal of three supplementary references filed by the NAB in the connection with mega money laundering case, Park Lane and Thatta water supply case on Sep 18 but on Friday the court deferred the announcement of its reserved judgment till 23rd.

The court on Sep 9 had deferred indictment of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) co-chairman in the Park Lane supplementary reference, after he moved an application requesting deferment of framing of charges until his plea for quashing the reference was decided.

At the start of the hearing, Zardari and Faryal Talpur's counsel filed application seeking one-day exemption of their clients before it which the court has approved. The NAB has nominated Zardari, Talpur and 30 others in mega money laundering reference. The NAB had nominated Zardari, Faryal Talpur, Hussain Lawai, Anwar Majid, Abdul Ghani Majeed, Taha Raza, Arif Khan, Muhammad Umair, Syed Hussain Faisal Shah Jamote, Azam Wazir Khan, Nimr Majid, Mustafa Z Majid, Ali Kemal Malik, M Younus Kudwai, Zain Malik, Haji Haroon, Kh Muhammad Salman Younus, Pir Darvesh Khan, Imran Khan, Muhammad Aurangzeb and Bilal Shaikh in the supplementary reference filed with respect to mega money laundering case.

In the interim reference regarding mega money laundering case, the NAB has a total of 30 accused including Asif Ali Zardari, Faryal Talpur, Hussain Lawai, Taha Raza, Anwar Majeed, Abdul Ghani Majeed, Noreen Sultan, Kiran Aman, Adeel Shah Rashidi, Muhammad Ashraf, Qasim Ali, Shahzad Ali, Sher Muhammad, Zain Malik, Iqbal Khan Noori, Nimr Majeed, Mustafa Zulqarnain, Aslam Masood, Muhammad Arif Khan, Nassar Abdullah, Adnan Javed, Muhammad Umair, Iqbal Arian, Azam Wazir Khan, Christopher D Craz, Muhammad Nasir Sheikh, Ghanzanfar Ahsan, Sawoodi Morkas, Muhammad Raheel Mobin, and Ali Kamal Majeed.

Similarly, NAB has also nominated Zardari and 19 suspects in Park Lane reference. According to the NAB, Zardari and others had allegedly embezzled funds obtained for M/s Parthenon (Private) Limited and M/s Park Lane Private Limited, which inflicted losses of Rs3.77 billion to the national exchequer.

Those who are nominated by NAB in the supplementary reference filed in the connection with Park lane case include Zardari, Muhammad Iqbal Memon Director park lane company, M/s Park Lane Estate Private Limited, Muhammad Iqbal Khan Noori Director M/s Parthenon Pvt Ltd, Muhammad Hanif Accountant M/s Park Lane Estate, M/s Parthenon Private Limited-an incorporated entity bearing certificate of incorporation under the provision of the companies ordinance 1984- and Hussain Lawai former president Arif Habib Bank and Summit Bank.

The other accused include Abdul Ghani Majid Shareholder/Director regent service Pvt Ltd multiple companies known as OMNI group, Khawaja Anwar Majid shareholder director OMNI group, Taha Raza relationship manager Arif Habib bank now Summit bank, Farooq Abdullah area branch manager HBL, Uzair Naeem former AVP summit bank, M/s Tracom Pvt Ltd through GM south-an incorporated entity bearing certificate of incorporation under the provision of the companies office-, Muhammad Saleem Faisal General Manger (GM) M/s Tracom private limited and Zahir Ismail.

The anti-graft body nominated Zardari and 13 other suspects in the supplementary filled in the connection with Thatta water supply scam. The bureau had not nominated Zardari in the interim reference: and nominated him and Ashfaq Leghari and In-charge Naudero House Nadeem Bhutto in the supplementary reference.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020