An accountability court on Tuesday reissued notices to former president Asif Ali Zardari and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the connection with five NAB references that were reopened against him two weeks ago. The accountability court judge Bashir Ahmad, while hearing five references against the former president, again issued notices to NAB and former president before he adjourned the hearing of the case till November 26.
Former federal law minister Farooq H. Naek submitted his power of attorney on behalf of former president Zardari in the court with a plea that his client could not appear before the court as he is currently out of the country. Naek also prayed to the court to give him more time to prepare the case as well. He also told the court he would inform Zardari about the notices issued by the court against the latter.
The accountability court warned if Asif Zardari does not appear in the court, the court will start proceedings on the next hearing. The court adjourned the hearing of case till November 26 with the mutual consent of NAB's additional prosecutor general Muhammad Akbar and Farooq H. Naek, the counsel for Zardari.
The accountability court re-opened NAB references against former President Asif Ali Zardari on October 11 and issued notice to him to appear before the court on October 14. The references against the former president include the alleged kickbacks from SGS PSI Company, grant of licence to ARY Gold causing a huge loss to national exchequer, illegal gratification and undue pecuniary advantage in the form of commission in the purchase of URSUS tractors under the Awami Tractor Scheme, illegal award of contract to Cotecna for pre-shipment, assets beyond means and illegal construction of a polo ground at PM House, they said.
The references against former President Zardari were adjourned when he was elected President of Pakistan on the basis of Constitutional immunity. All the co-accused in the reference, except Zardari, have already been acquitted, sources said. Former president Pervez Musharraf had withdrawn all cases against Zardari under National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in 2007. The Supreme Court had later cancelled the NRO and reopened all corruption cases against him.
Comments
Comments are closed.