An accountability court in Islamabad extended the judicial remand of former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister, Faryal Talpur, till September 5 in the long-running money laundering and fake bank accounts case.
As per details, the brother and sister duo was presented in the court of Accountability Judge Muhammad Bashir as their remand expired today.
Copies of the Park Lane reference were handed over to the suspects during today’s hearing.
At the outset of the hearing, Zardari’s counsel Lateef Khosa complained that his client is allegedly being disturbed by the jail authorities.
“Despite permission, he is not being allowed to meet his daughters”, he continued in his arguments.
During today’s hearing, NAB Prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi exchanged words with the AC judge. “You are only listening to the arguments of Zardari’s counsel, not from our side”, he continued.
“It is the matter related to the prison not linked with you”, the judge replied. Later, Abbasi apologized to the court.
Zardari remained in National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) remand till August 16 when the accountability court sent him to judicial remand after NAB prosecutor Muzaffar Abbasi apprised the court of new developments in the case.
Consequently, he was moved to Adiala Jail. Talpur, on the other hand, was shifted from Islamabad’s Polyclinic Hospital to Adiala jail at midnight on August 12.
In the August 16 hearing, the defence counsel filed a request seeking A-class facilities for the PPP leaders as Zardari lamented harsh treatment in jail. Today, both sides presented arguments over the request. The accountability court will decide on the matter in the next hearing on September 5.
The court will hear the plea for A-class facilities in prison on Tuesday (tomorrow).
Meanwhile, Deputy Prosecutor NAB Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi informed the accountability court that the accountability bureau has decided to file a supplementary reference against Zardari and Talpur in the money-laundering case. The reference will be filed in the light of new evidence found by NAB in the case, he added.
