ISLAMABAD: The Accountability Court Islamabad on Thursday recorded statement of another prosecution witness in Thatta water supply case involving former president Asif Ali Zadari and others.

The Accountability Court-II Judge, Muhammad Azam Khan, recorded the statement of prosecution witness, Syed Naveed Ahmed.

Accused Abdul Ghani Majeed Counsel Arshad Tabraz, Zardari’s Counsel Farooq Naek’s associate and other defence counsel, and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor Irfan Bola, appeared before the court.

The witness, while testifying before the court produced various documents related to the reference before court.

At the start of the hearing, associate of Zardari’s counsel and counsel of other accused filed separate applications seeking exemption for their clients from personal appearance, which the court approved.

The court after recording the statement of witness adjourned hearing of the case till June 3.

The anti-graft body nominated Asif Ali Zardari and 13 other suspects, in the supplementary filed in connection with Thatta water supply scam.

The bureau had not nominated Zardari in the interim reference, and Ashfaq Leghari, and in-charge Naudero House Nadeem Bhutto, in the supplementary reference.

In interim reference, the bureau nominated 13 accused including Ejaz Ahmed Khan, former secretary of Special Initiative Department of Sindh, Hassan Memon, project director/chairman of the procurement committee for the water supply scheme, Thatta, members of the committee namely, Ali Akbar Abro, Aijaz Ahmed Memon, Athar Nawaz Durrani, Abdul Haleem Memon, Mohammad Farrukh Khan, Mohammad Ramzan, Mohammad Siddiq Sulemani, and Zeeshan Hasan Yousaf, a private contractor Harish, CEO Omni Group Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majeed, and Minahal Majeed.

Meanwhile, the same court, adjourned hearing of mega money laundering reference against Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur and others without any proceedings till June 3rd due to absence of Zardari’s lead counsel Farooq Naek.

At the start of hearing the judge inquired about Naek.

At this, Naek’s associate told the court that Naek was busy in the Supreme Court in another case.

At this, the judge told Naek’s associate that Zardari’s lead counsel will conduct cross examination of prosecution witness during the next hearing to be held on June 3rd.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021