IHC dismisses NAB appeals against Asif Zardari's acquittal in 25-year-old references

ISLAMABAD (92 News) - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday dismissed the appeals filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against acquittal of PPPP president Asif Zardari in the 25-year-old references.

Chief Justice Athar Minallah remarked that they are dismissing the appeals on merit. "The NAB had nothing in the case," he observed.

On Wednesday, the NAB had filed miscellaneous applications in the IHC to withdraw its four appeals against the acquittal of former president Asif Ali Zardari.

The NAB adopted the stance that the further prosecution into the appeals would be an ineffective practice. "Even the copies of the documents in the cases were hardly available," it had said, adding that the available documented proof were not sufficient as per law.

It prayed the court to grant approval to the Bureau to withdraw the appeals against the acquittal of PPP’s co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari.

The Accountability Court (AC) had acquitted Zardari in 2015 in four references including Ursus Tractors, ARY Gold, Polo Ground and SGS Cotecna. The Bureau had challenged the acquittal before the High Court.