Fake accounts case: Zardari wants review plea fixed for hearing on February 12

Former President Asif Ali Zardari has requested the apex court to fix his review petition against its order dated 07-01-2019 in fake bank accounts case for hearing on February 12. Advocate Sardar Latif Khan Khosa Saturday filed an application under Order XXXIII Rule 6 of Supreme Court Rules 1980 on behalf of the Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman for early hearing, preferably on February 12.
The former President submitted, "The liberty and free movement of him has been at peril by the NAB authorities under the garb of this case and he, despite being innocent in this case, is facing the agony and deprivation from the fundamental rights, which is causing an irreparable loss to him." He prayed that the interest of justice demands that the case be fixed for earlier date, preferably on February 12. Co-Chairman PPP Asif Ali Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Sindh government through advocate general, Chairman Omni Group Kh Anver Majeed and his son Abdul Ghani Majeed have challenged the apex court 7th January order. National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has also filed its first progress report on the ongoing investigation in the fake accounts case.
Zardari's petition states that the directions issued in January 07 order are prejudicial to fair trial and due process under Article 10-A of Constitution. He requested the apex court to hold in abeyance the impugned order dated 07-01-2019 till the final decision of the petition. He prayed that the impugned order dated 07-01-19 be declared per in curium and liable to be recalled/reviewed.
He also contended that the directions issued by the apex court vide impugned order dated 07-01-19 are beyond the scope of order dated 05-01-19 passed by this court. The directions issued on 07-01-19 are prejudicial to the petitioners in any futuristic eventualities of fair trial and due process will not be possible under Article 10-A of the Constitution.
The petitioner said the resulting of overstepping by the JIT from the task assigned to it in order dated 05-09-2018 by the apex court was politically exploited in that 172 persons en mass were placed on ECL including Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah.
The Sindh government has urged the apex court to revise para 37 of January 7, 2019 order and direction be given that the entire record of JIT be submitted to NAB at Karachi and further inquiry, if any, also be conducted at Karachi and that the reference, if any, shall be prepared and presented before the NAB at Karachi.