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NAB arrests Asif Ali Zardari

NAB arrests Asif Ali Zardari
June 10, 2019
ISLAMABAD (92 News) –  The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday arrested Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari from his Islamabad residence after the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) rejected his pre-arrest bail plea in the money laundering case. A 15-member team of the corruption watchdog body – accompanied by police personnel – arrested PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari from his residence in Islamabad. A number of party workers and Zardari’s children Bilawal and Aseefa saw him off as the former president was driven away in a black Landcruiser. The emotional scene has also been seen when Zardari hugs and kisses with her daughter Aseefa Zaradri. After sitting in the NAB’s vehicle, Bilawal Bhutto also gave kiss on the face of Zardari and see off him. The PPP co-chairman was shifted to the NAB Rawalpindi office. The arrest comes hours after the Islamabad High Court rejected an application seeking extension in the pre-arrest bails of Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur in the fake accounts case. Police personnel, including female officials, had entered the former president’s house after the court decision. All roads leading to the residence were blocked by police. The reports said that Asif ALi Zardari will be presented before the accountability court Islamabad tomorrow (on Tuesday). Earlier, a team of the NAB reached Asif Ali Zardari’s Islamabad residence to arrest the leader after the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) rejected his pre-arrest bail. The accountability watchdog has constituted two teams for the arrest of the former president. One team has been dispatched to Parliament House and another to Zardari House in Islamabad. A two-member bench that had earlier reserved its verdict on their application announced the verbal order. Both Zardari and his sibling had left the court building before the verdict was announced. The NAB can now act on its arrest warrants against Zardari, which were apparently issued yesterday, after receiving the written court order, which is expected to be issued soon. Talpur, however, cannot be arrested as her warrants have not been issued as yet. It is noteworthy that according to National Assembly rules, no member can be arrested from within the precincts of the parliament without permission of the speaker. Zardari is an MNA. Zardari and Talpur have the option of appealing the IHC judgment in the Supreme Court. Earlier, the IHC bench comprising of Justice Aamer Farooq and Mohsin Kayani had reserved the verdict. After the verdict, the NAB team left the court for Parliament House. During the hearing, the NAB prosecutor completed his arguments. The NAB appealed to the court to reject the bail plea of Asif Zardari. On the other hand, the PPP has made all arrangements to protest against the possible arrest of Asif Zaradari. Farooq H Naik, counsel for Asif Zardari, told court that Asif Zardari does not face the charge of assisting anyone in opening the account and he is not an accused in the fake accounts. “The Zardari Group faces the charge of receiving Rs 15 million from fake accounts. It is being said that Zardari had opened the fake accounts. It has been written in all documents that Omni Group had opened the fake accounts,” he said. The counsel said that the NAB should produce the proofs. “The Zarddari Group has been accused of being the beneficial of the suspected transactions,” he stated. He argued that the NAB chairman has no power to issue the arrest warrants for Asif Zardari.