An accountability court in Islamabad on Friday summoned former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Yousaf Raza Gillani and former president Asif Zardari on May 29 in the Toshakhana (national depository) case, media reports said.
According to National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the former leaders have been charged with corruption under sub-sections 2, 4, 7 and 12 of Section 9 (A) of the NAB Ordinance. In its reference, the anti-graft body claimed that Zardari had only paid 15 per cent of the total cost of the cars received as gifts and also through fake accounts. “Zardari received cars as a gift from Libya and the UAE as president and used them himself instead of depositing them in the treasury,” the NAB claimed. “Abdul Ghani Majeed paid for the vehicles through fake accounts whereas Anwar Majeed made more than 20 million illegal transactions using Ansari Sugar Mills accounts,” it added.
Besides, Anwar Majeed also transferred Rs 9.2 million to Asif Zardari’s accounts while Abdul Ghani Majeed transferred Rs37 million to a civil servant in Islamabad, according to NAB, which further claimed that Nawaz was not holding any public office in 2008 but was still given a vehicle without any justification.
Earlier in January, NAB had approved filing of references against the former heads of state and the government for inflicting losses to the national exchequer by taking gifts from the national treasury and not depositing them in the Toshakhana.
The Executive Board Meeting (EBM) presided over by NAB Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal had approved filing cases against former premiers Nawaz Sharif and Yousaf Raza Gilani and former president Asif Ali Zardari for keeping the government-owned valuables and vehicles in their possession. Gifts are routinely exchanged between heads of states or officers holding constitutional positions on the eve of a state visit.
