The Accountability Court hearing multibillion rupees fake bank accounts case against former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur on Tuesday rejected Zardari's plea seeking medical treatment of his choice in Karachi.
The Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Azam Khan hearing the mega money laundering and Park Lane reference against Zardari, his sister and others turned down co-Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Zardari's application seeking permission to be shifted to Karachi for medical treatment.
At the start of the hearing, Farooq H Naek, Zardari's counsel filed an application and told the court that his client's health is worrisome; therefore, he should be allowed to avail treatment of his choice in Karachi.
The court asked where all the accused are and whether or not the accused Anwar Majeed has been shifted from Karachi. His counsel told the court that Majeed is seriously ill and he will be operated upon in Karachi.
The NAB officials produced Talpur before the court on expiry of her judicial remand but did not produce Zardari as he had been shifted to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) from jail for medial treatment on October 22.
The NAB prosecutor while objecting to Zardari's application said that the accused needs to submit request to the government. "If Zardari wants to consult a private doctor for his treatment, he should submit a request to the government," he added.
He said that the application seeking to shift Zardari to Karachi for treatment comes under the jurisdiction of this court. "Following the court order, Zardari has been shifted to hospital and the same hospital has been declared as a sub-jail," he said.
Zardari's counsel Sardar Latif Khosa replied, "We will not beg from the government. This is our right that we are seeking from the court." Without naming Nawaz Sharif, he said that the government is ready to send one patient abroad for testament "but they are suggesting us to approach to the executive for availing treatment of choice for Zardari." Zardari would not submit an application for seeking permission to go abroad for treatment, he said.
He said that the same court had granted judicial remand of his client and he is submitting an application to it for availing medical treatment of his client at Karachi. "This would become a history that a case has been made in Karachi and its hearing started in Punjab," he said.
The court after hearing arguments on the application from both the parties reserved its judgment for some time. The court later announcing its reserved verdict rejected Zardari's application.
However, the court approved a request of Talpur, to be permitted to meet his brother. The court said that Talpur can meet her brother once.
The court extended judicial remand of Zardari and Talpur till November 26 in the mega money laundering and Park Lane case.
Naek also field another application before the court seeking better facilities for his client Talpur in jail. The NAB prosecutor while opposing the application said that an ordinance has been promulgated under which better class facility provided to all prisoners will be withdrawn. He submitted a copy of the ordinance before the court and said now all the prisoners are being given C-class facility in jail.
Naek replied that the ordinance has become a bill and so far it has not become a law. The NAB prosecutor is misrepresenting the facts, he added. He said that Talpur was already provided Better Class in jail contrary to the NAB prosecutor's claim that every prisoner is getting C-class facility.
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