Mega money laundering, Park Lane cases: AC extends remand of Zardari, Faryal till October 22

An Accountability Court hearing the multibillion rupees fake bank accounts case on Friday extended judicial remand of former president Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Faryal Talpur and other accused in the mega money laundering and Park Lane cases till October 22. Zardari, Talpur and other accused were produced before Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir on expiry of their judicial remand. The judge marked attendance of all the accused and adjourned the hearing till October 22.

During the previous hearing, the court fixed October 4 for indictment of the accused but due to absence of some accused as well as non-provision of copies of reference to all accused, the court deferred indictment. The judge observed that it will indict the accused when all of them would receive copies of the reference. The judge said that a course of action should be determined to proceed further and avoid delay in hearings.

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi told the court that before hearing of this case, a procedure was determined by the same court for such cases. On this the judge said that in that case there were only two accused but in this case the number of accused is 30. The judge said that Anwar Majeed, one of the accused in the case, was not shifted from Karachi to Islamabad due to his ill-health. The judge asked, "What will be its legal position?"

Naek told the court that Majeed has filed an exemption application and the court can approve it. The court also inquired about the banks' employees in the case who filed applications to become approvers. The NAB prosecutor said that the applications of banks' employees are still in process. "For how long will this process continue?" the judge questioned.

Abbasi said that investigation officer will appear before the court after a few minute and will brief the court in this regard. The defense counsel said that the court should also ask from the investigation officer when he will file the supplementary reference. Naek said that in this case there is no room for filing of a supplementary reference.

The judge got angry over the late appearance of the investigation officer before the court and told him to inform the court in advance about his schedule in the morning. "It must not happen again that all the people are waiting for you in the court," the judge asked the investigation officer.

The investigation officer told the court that the NAB has asked Ministry of Interior to issue red warrants for Younis Qadwai and Azam Wazir, both of whom are nominated in the case and are currently abroad. He said that a supplementary reference will be filed by the next hearing. He further said that the supplementary reference is yet to be approved by the NAB chairman.

The court after hearing the arguments extended the judicial remand of the accused and adjourned the proceedings till October 22. Former president Asif Ali Zardari while taking to reporters informally said that business community has expressed concern over present economic situation during a meeting with Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

The business community has complained against Prime Minister Imran Khan to those who made him Prime minister," he claimed. To a question about supporting "Azadi March" of Emir Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman, he said that Rehman is his friend but his son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has to do politics.

He said his doctor had recommended that he should be shifted to a hospital because his blood sugar level often drops. He said if he suddenly falls ill, the jail administration will not be able to provide him medical help in time and suggested that a hospital ward be declared as a sub-jail for him instead. Earlier, Zardari held a meeting with Bilawal and other party leaders who briefed him about the meeting with the Emir JUI-F, who has announced to start a march on October 27 in a bid to topple the government.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019