The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday extended the pre-arrest bail of former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur till June 10 in the fake bank accounts case.
A two-member division bench, comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani and Justice Aamer Farooq, presided over the proceedings seeking permanent bail for Zardari and his sister.
On the other hand, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) furnished all record in the court pertaining to the fake accounts transactions. As the court examined the record, NAB Additional Prosecutor Jahanzeb Bharwana presented three reports as evidence on the involvement of Zardari and his sister in the case. Zardari’s counsel Farooq H Naek sought more time to respond to the new documents furnished in the court.
The additional prosecutor argued that the NAB is an investigative agency and thereby it can take action as per Anti-Money Laundering Act. To this, the bench inquired from the additional prosecutor, “What is the money laundering … you are mingling money laundering with kickbacks.” “Even if the reference is filed in the case, would you then file a supplementary reference?” the court further asked. To which, the additional prosecutor responded, “NAB can file as many references as it wants.” He also told the court that during investigation into the mega money laundering case, the Zardari Group was found involved in the matter.
Naek said the copies of the reference against his clients have not been provided to him. “The accusations against my clients will only be known after the copies of the reference are furnished,” he said, adding that an accountability court has already approved surety bonds in the reference and the decision is being awaited.
Justice Kiyani asked whether the NAB has already issued arrest warrants of Zardari. To which, Bharwana told the bench that the team did not want to arrest the accused person, and that arrest warrants have not been issued.
Naek informed the court that the FIR lodged in the case did not nominate Zardari or Talpur, and that there is no reality in the accusations against his clients.
The bench regretted that the investigation officer did not bring the record on the basis of which he connected the individuals with the fake account transactions, and consequently warned the NAB of issuing show-cause notices to the prosecution and the investigation team. “What are you here for then?” Justice Kiyani said, adding that the court is hearing argument for an hour and a half, and still no record has been produced before it.
