The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has strongly contradicted a news item appearing in a section of the press regarding NAB's withdrawal of $150 million case against Ms Benazir Bhutto from Swiss Court.
Spokesman of the Bureau in a written statement on Thursday, clarifying the position, said that the case regarding culpability of Ms Bhutto and her conduits (Rehman Malik and Hassan Ali Jafferi) in the Oil for Food Programme is pending before a Spanish Examining Magistrate in the province of Valencia in Spain on charges of money laundering.
He said this case was started in 2004 by the Spanish authorities on basic information and evidence gathered by their Financial Intelligence Unit called SEPBLAC.
The government of Pakistan was also informed about this persecution and was asked for any help in the Spanish prosecution. Later in 2006, NAB was informed by the United Nation's Independent Inquiry Committee (UNIIC) about the involvement of Ms Bhutto's company Petroline FZC in the infamous Iraqi Oil for Food Programme, he said. He said that UNIIC also provided NAB with certain documentary evidence.
To help the Spanish Prosecution in Valencia and also adhering to their earlier request of 2004, he said, NAB became Civil Party to the proceedings and provided the Examining Magistrate with the UNIIC evidence and also the details of other cases of the accused in various jurisdictions including Pakistan. On the last date of hearing in May 2007, NAB informed the Valencia Court that NAB has done its job by providing the UNIIC evidence and by rendering all other relevant evidence.
Since the case is primarily a Spanish Prosecution, therefore NAB could be allowed to quit as Civil Party as GOP Exchequer is not going to benefit from the outcome of the case, and further NAB shall be available for any help for the Spanish Prosecution in future, which could be attained on a simple request of International Mutual Legal Assistance. The Examining Magistrate fully agreed with the request of NAB and while appreciating its role spared NAB as Civil Party from the proceedings. The prosecution in Valencia-Spain is to continue, where next date of hearing is scheduled for June-July 2007.
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