The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has informed an accountability court that the inquiry launched by the inspection team of an administrative committee of Lahore High Court (LHC) to investigate the alleged favours given by an accountability court to acquit a co-accused in five corruption references against Asif Ali Zardari is still pending.
The NAB prosecutor, Riaz Chaudhry, presented a letter to the accountability court issued by the LHC which said that two administrative inquiries against the decision of an accountability court in Rawalpindi in corruption cases against former president and co-chairperson of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Asif Ali Zardari and his co-accused are still pending.
He prayed the court to delay its judgement regarding Asif Ali Zardari till LHC inspection committee completes its inquiry. The court allowed and reserved its judgement till May 28. The then President, Pervez Musharraf, had withdrawn all cases against Zardari under National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in 2007. In 2009, Supreme Court cancelled the NRO and ordered NAB to reopen all the corruption cases against him.
NAB reopened the reference and all the co-accused in five corruption references were acquitted during the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) government. The references against Zardari were adjourned when he was elected as President due to constitutional immunity. The LHC had received complaints from citizens based on media reports according to which the former President was implicated in at least three major corruption cases including Cotecna, SGS, and ARY Gold. The LHC administrative committee's inspection team had launched an inquiry last year on these complaints which is still pending.
The accountability court re-opened NAB references against former President Asif Ali Zardari on October 11 and issued a 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 the Prime Minister House.
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