ISLAMABAD: The Accountability Court hearing multi-billion rupees fake bank account case on Monday fixed September 9 for indictment of former president Asif Ali Zardari, two former prime ministers, Nawaz Sharif and Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani and others in Toshakhana reference.

Accountability Court Judge Asghar Ali, while hearing the case, said that charge against former president, Zardari, Sharif and Gilani and others would be framed on September 9. The court also directed all the accused to furnish surety of Rs2 million each.

Zardari, while wearing face mask and face shield, appeared before the court along with PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and daughter Aseefa Bhutto.

Some other party leaders also reached the court to show solidarity with their leader.

Earlier, the court rejected the plea seeking exemption of Zardari from personal appearance, and ordered his counsel, Farooq H Naek to call him to attend the case proceedings.

Following the directives, the former president arrived at the court and participated in the hearing.

At the start of the hearing, defence counsel Naek and lawyers of other accused complained to the court that they were stopped by the police and faced difficulties while reaching the court due to a number of barricades.

Barrister Tassaduq Hanif told the court that he was manhandled by the police.

Naek told the court that the courtroom was full of people.

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National Accountability Bureau (NAB) deputy prosecutor general and the defence counsel exchanged harsh words with each other.

The judge said that he also faced hardships, while reaching the court as he was stopped at a check post after which he had to take a U-turn, using an alternative route to reach there.

He said that he would take up the issue with the administration so as to prevent such a situation in the future.

During the hearing, Zardari and Bilawal came to the rostrum.

The court allowed Zardari and other accused to go after marking their attendance.

The court also postponed the process of declaring Nawaz Sharif as proclaimed offender. Sharif's counsel filed the petition that his client has challenged the proceedings of the accountability court in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and was waiting for the verdict of the court.

The court approved the petition regarding Sharif, and stopped the process of declaring Nawaz Sharif as proclaimed offender until August 25. Deputy Prosecutor General NAB Sardar Muzzafar Abbasi, while objecting to Sharif's application, said that one time of summon notice the accused has been passed, therefore, the accused Sharif has to surrender before this court.

Police have blocked all roads leading to the Accountability Court in order to avert any untoward situation.

The NAB had filed the Toshakhana reference against Zardari, Sharif, Gilani, and others, for allegedly acquiring vehicles and gifts from Toshakhana in violation of rules and regulations.

According to the bureau, the evidence collected during the course of inquiry and investigation has established that the accused, Gilani in order to extend illegal benefit to the accused, Zardari and Sharif, illegally allowed the retention of vehicles gifted to them by various foreign states and dignitaries, which at that time belonged to the Central Pool of Cars, Cabinet Division, relaxing the procedure of Toshakhana, illegally.

According to the NAB, accused, Zardari and Sharif, had retained the said vehicles against the nominal payment of 15 percent of total value of the vehicles.

The accused, Zardari, made the payment for vehicles, and duties of these vehicles through the accused, Khawaja Anwer Majid and Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majid, from "fake" bank accounts.

The accused, Gilani, former prime minister and minister-in-charge Cabinet Division from 2008-2012 had "illegally" relaxed the procedure for the acceptance and disposal of gifts, issued by the government through the Cabinet Division OM no.9/8/2004 TK dated June 25, 2007. According to these rules, "gifted vehicles shall not be allowed to be purchased by the recipients and be given to the Central Pool of Cars of the Cabinet Division."

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020